LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.; 
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^JilL^rtktj. \ 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.! 









SIX YEARS IN INDIA 



SKETCHES OE INDIA AND ITS PEOPLE 



AS SEEN BY A LADY MISSIONARY. 



GIVEN IN A SERIES OF LETTERS TO HER MOTHER. 



By Mrs. K J. HUMPHREY. 



EIGHT ILLUSTRATI OrN 5, 



•♦♦♦- 



PUBLISHED BY CARLTON & PORTER, 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 200 MULBERRY-STREET. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, 

BY CARLTON & PORTER, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for 
the Southern District of New- York. 



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INTRODUCTION. 



The vast peninsula of Hindoostan is located 
near the center of the Eastern Hemisphere. It 
is bounded on the north by the Himalaya Mount- 
ains, on the east by Burmah and the Bay of 
Bengal, on the south by the Indian Ocean, on 
the west by the Arabian sea, Afghanistan, and 
Beloochistan. 

The name Hindoostan signifies literally the 
place, that is the country, of the Hindoos, 
stan simply signifying place or locality. In like 
manner Afghanistan signifies the country of the 
Afghans. 

Hindoostan is a magnificent country. Its 
vast area of one and a half millions of square 
miles contains every variety of scenery and 
climate. There are long ranges of lofty moun- 
tains, some of which are of immense height 
and covered with perpetual snows ; and large 
rivers, which irrigate extensive valleys and 
plains. On these prairie-like plains snows 



6 INTRODUCTION. 

never fall. During the entire year they are 
clothed with verdure. 

No fences or walls divide the land into farms. 
In the center of each section or township of 
from two to six hundred acres, stands a village 
where the farmers live, and from which they go 
out and till their small fields. 

Probably the chief reason of this practice is 
the tenure on which the lands are held, which 
precludes the ownership of the farms by the 
farmers. The lands are all held by the British 
government, except some small states which 
native nobles are allowed to retain on condition 
of fealty to the Queen of England. They are 
leased in townships by the government to Za- 
mindars, who sub-lease them in small parcels 
to the farmers. Consequently, the country is 
dotted with large cities and multitudinous 
villages. 

The houses of the poorer classes are built of 
sun-dried brick and are thatched with straw ; 
but the nobles and native gentry have dwellings 
of kiln-dried brick, ornamented with arched 
verandahs and frescoed ceilings. They are 
generally, however, entirely destitute of glass, 
doors, and windows, and, except in the case of 
the houses of those who have something of an 
English education, they are wholly without 
chairs, and tables, and the other articles of fur- 
niture which we deem so indispensable. A few 



INTRODUCTION. 7 

brass dishes, a kettle or two, an iron plate on 
which to bake their chappattees, or graham 
bread, one or two hookahs or pipes, two or 
three light bedsteads (charpoys) covered with 
woven cords, constitute the usual array of house- 
hold goods. 

The people usually build their houses in quad- 
rangular form, with a wide entrance to a court- 
yard in the center of the building. In this 
courtyard there are usually a well and a few 
shade trees, and there they usually sit and 
smoke their hookahs, and sometimes sleep 
and take their meals. In the older cities, like 
Lucknow, Delhi, Agra, etc., there are noble 
structures — temples, mausoleums, and palaces — 
the remains of past grandeur, power, and 
oppression. \ 

The population of the country is reckoned at 
about two hundred millions. 

"But little is known of the first inhabitants 
of the country. The Bheels of Central India, 
the Gonds of ISTerbudda, and some of the tribes 
of the Himalayas, are supposed to be their 
descendants. 

" The next settlers were the Hindoos, who are 
of the Indo-Germanic family. Bodies of this 
people went off to the west from Central Asia, 
and settled in Europe. The Germans and En- 
glish are descendants of this great shepherd 
race. Other bands passed into the plains of the 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

Indus and gradually subdued the tribes of Scyth- 
ian descent, and spread themselves over the 
whole country." 

The Hindoos are well formed and athletic, 
with regular features and oval faces like Euro- 
peans. In some sections of the country, where 
they subsist largely upon rice, they are weaker 
and more effeminate. 

The history of India is divided into three 
parts : the Hindoo, Mohammedan, and Christian. 
The history of the Hindoo period is extremely 
vague. We have no reliable information con- 
cerning the dynasties that rose and fell. It 
is clear, however, from memorials that remain, 
and upon which we can rely, that civilization 
and literature of a certain kind flourished 
in ages long since past. The people made 
important discoveries in several branches of 
science, particularly in mathematics and as- 
tronomy. 

The Hindoos invented the decimal system of 
notation. Many centuries ago they made dis- 
coveries in algebra and geometry that were not 
known in Europe until the last century. 

In astronomy they ascertained the courses of 
eclipses, and constructed tables for calculating 
them, and some of their sages discovered the 
diurnal revolution of the earth, and calculated 
its diameter with considerable precision. 

All the subtleties of logic and the refinements 



INTBOEXJCTIOST. 9 

of grammar are to be met with in Sanscrit works. 
In the copious poetic literature of India the 
niceties and varieties of meter are as numerous 
as in that of ancient Greece. 

It should be remembered that the Hindoos 
acquired their knowledge by their genius, while 
the present nations of Europe are largely in- 
debted for theirs to the ancient Greeks and 
Eomans. 

The invasion of the country by the Moham- 
medans crushed the spirit of inquiry and im- 
provement among the people, and the Hindoo 
mind has for centuries lain dormant. The 
Mohammedans invaded the land about A.D. 
1000. The history of their supremacy is made 
up largely of war and oppression. Thousands 
of Hindoos were carried into captivity. During 
their reign, life, property, and honor were not 
secure. As a native writer says, u the effect 
of their government on the country resembled 
that of a scorching blast upon a plant." Their 
reign extended until the battle of Plassey, in 
1737, from which time British power in the East 
takes its date. 

The English government in India is a great 
blessing to the people. The Mohammedans 
would doubtless rejoice if they could regain 
their former sway, and they have at times 
laid schemes to that end ; but their successive 
failures have given them the impression that 



10 USTTEODUCTION. 

the British power is sustained by G-od and 
cannot be overthrown. Some of their most 
learned moulvais now say that the Christian 
religion must spread over all the world, con- 
sequently the world must be governed by 
those who will not hinder its progress. 

Protestant missions were commenced in 1706, 
by Schwartz and others, and were encouraged 
by the King of Denmark, who had previously 
formed trading settlements in various places in 
India. Those missionaries, however, failed of 
achieving great results, by allowing heathen 
customs to intermingle with the Christian ob- 
servances of their converts. 

The British government for many years made 
no effort to introduce Christianity, and even 
forbade missionaries to settle in the country ; 
and when at the close of the eighteenth century 
Carey, and Thomas, and others of the English 
Baptists, sought to establish a mission, they 
were compelled to seek an asylum at the 
Danish settlement of Serampore, on the 
banks of the Hooghly, fifteen miles above 
Calcutta. 

" The Marquis of "Wellesley gave encourage- 
ment to devout missionaries of every Christian 
persuasion ; but during the administrations of 
Lord Minto and the Marquis of Hastings there 
was direct opposition to the ministers of the 
cross, who were obliged to proceed from En- 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

gland to the United States, and sail in an Amer- 
ican vessel to their destination. " Some were 
not permitted to land on British ground, others 
were obliged to re-embark. Ships were refused 
port entrance if they had missionaries on 
board as they were deemed more dangerous 
than the plague, or the invasion of a French 
army. 

" The governor of Serampore, when desired 
by the Calcutta authorities to expel Drs. Carey, 
Marshman, and others, nobly replied, they might 
compel him to pull down the flag of the Danish 
king, but he would not refuse a refuge and a 
home to those whose sole object was the tem- 
poral and spiritual welfare of their fellow- 
beings. 

" Despite the most powerful official discoun- 
tenance, the missionary cause ultimately tri- 
umphed. The Church of England became an 
effective auxiliary. Calcutta in 1814 was made 
the see of a bishop, under Dr. Middleton ; and 
his amiable successor, Bishop Heber, removed 
many prejudices, and paved the way for a gen- 
eral recognition of the necessity and duty of 
affording to the people of India the means 
of becoming acquainted with the precepts of 
Christianity. 

"The thin edge of the wedge being thus 
fairly inserted in the stronghold of idolatry, the 
force of truth drove it home ; point by point, 



12 INTEODUCTION. 

step by step, the government was fairly beaten 
from positions which became untenable. 

" It was tardily admitted that some missiona- 
ries were good men, and did not intend nor de- 
sire to overthrow the dominion of England in the 
East ; next it was acknowledged that they had 
a direct and immediate interest in upholding 
the authorities, as the most effectual security for 
the prosecution of their pious labors. " Soon 
the government ceased to dismiss civil and 
military servants because they had become 
Christians ; then came the public avowal of their 
faith by many of the Europeans in India, and 
the open celebration of its rites. 

" When this vantage ground was gained, other 
triumphs necessarily followed. " The Scrip- 
tures, which the British and Foreign Bible 
Society, and also the Baptists, had been en- 
gaged in translating and printing, were now 
freely distributed. " Toleration was no longer 
conceded to Hindooism and other idolatries 
only : it was extended to Christianity ; and 
the principle was urged boldly that the state 
should renounce all countenance in the shame- 
ful orgies of Juggernaut and other pagan 
abominations ; that the car of this idol and its 
obscene priests should cease to be annually 
decorated with scarlet cloth and tinsel, specially 
provided by the East India Company ; and that 
the troops, English and Mohammedan, should 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

no longer have their feelings outraged by being 
compelled to do honor to disgusting rites which 
were a mockery to the true and living 
God."* 

The missionary cause, thus " tolerated," ex- 
tended and widened from year to year, until in 
1862 there were in Hindoostan 519 foreign mis- 
sionaries, 140 native catechists, and 153,816 
native Christians. 

There were 70,709 boys and 19,997 girls in 
mission schools. Since the Mohammedan's law- 
less reign, the Hindoos of high caste have kept 
their wives and daughters closely secluded ; and 
this custom, with the Mohammedan plan of keep- 
ing their females closely confined in zenanas? 
forms a very great barrier in obtaining access 
to women of the higher classes ; nevertheless 
these obstacles are yielding to the persevering 
efforts of Christians, and the prejudices of the 
natives in regard to female education are fast 
vanishing. 

Our own mission was commenced in 1856 by 
Rev. ¥m. Butler, who settled in the city of Ba- 
reilly, Rohilcund. Our field of labor extends 
over a good part of the valley north of the 
Ganges, and embraces the provinces of Oude 
and Rohilcund, and part of the contiguous sub- 
Himalayan Range. It is nearly four hundred 

* See " British Possessions in Asia," by R. Montgomery 
Martin, Esq. 



14 INTRODUCTION. 

miles in length and seventy-five in breadth, with 
a population of about thirteen millions. 

Until our mission was established this part 
of the country had been entirely neglected, so 
that we have had to meet the prejudices of 
the people and the discouragements incident to 
the work in full force ; but God has graciously 
given us even thus early many tokens of his 
favor. 

In February, 1865, we had 26 native preachers 
and catechists, 209 native Christians, and 208 
orphan children, wholly in our charge. We 
had 15 stations, 10 chapels, and 1,231 scholars in 
our mission schools. 

The work is now opening in every direction. 
People of all classes are willing and anxious to 
be taught secular knowledge, and for the sake 
of this will receive religious instruction. Even 
the "purdah" is withdrawn to admit female 
missionaries to the charmed precincts of the 
zenana. 

We can ask no more of them ; the rest must 
be accomplished by the Spirit of God and the 
faithfulness of the Church. Let the Church 
then continue to send out the missionaries of 
Jesus, and not fail to speed their efforts for the 
salvation of men by her prayers. 

It is not a service of ease and luxury, and if 
any make it such they are unfit for their respon- 
sible position. It is a work for which culti- 



INTRODUCTION. 15 

vated, earnest, self-denying, consistent, humble, 
and industrious men and women are needed. 
There ought to be many such in the Church, 
willing to devote themselves to this work. Let 
them be sent forth and heartily and prayerfully 
sustained. 

It is not because of any supposed literary merit 
in these letters that they have been prepared 
for publication, but in the hope that they might 
' give some" items of information in regard to a 
people of whom but little is known, but toward 
whom, at the present time, the attention of the 
Christian world is directed. If they shall in 
any degree contribute to increase the interest 
felt in the missionary work, they will not have 
been written in vain. 

I have not aimed to give in them an historical 
sketch of our mission, but merely to relate our 
own every day experience, thinking that I could 
thus best give a correct idea of our work in In- 
dia, and if at times they seem dry and uninter- 
esting they are no less matter-of-fact. 

Missionaries do not always live on the 
mountain top, full of hope and enthusiasm; 
they are often buffeted, depressed, and anxious, 
like those in the work at home. So also with 
their work : it is not all prose, but neither is 
it all poetry ; and in order to carry it on suc- 
cessfully, a calm, steadfast reliance upon God is 
indispensable. 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

It is a glorious work ! It is a blessed privi- 
lege to go to the regions beyond, to be pioneers 
in the work of evangelization ; but those that 
go need to be girt with the " armor of right- 
eousness on the right hand and on the left." 

E. J. Humphrey. 



CONTENTS. 



LETTER I. 



Sailing from Boston — Atlantic Ocean — Services on board 
Ship — South American Coast — Off the Cape of Good Hope — 
Storms — Bay of Bengal — Danger off Sandheads — Pilot — 
Terrible News — Natives of India — Hooghley River — Cal- 
cutta Page 23 

LETTER II. 

First Impressions of Calcutta — First Dinner on Shore — Na- 
tive Servants — Punkahs — Curry — Housekeeping — Studying 
the Language — A Native Christian — Dr. Duff — Mr. Poorie — 
Palanquins — Buksheesh — The Mutiny — The Climate. . . 39 

LETTER HI. 

Calcutta — Its Early History — Public Buildings — Botanical 
Gardens — New Tear — An Ayah — Mr. Lacroix — Visit at 
Examination of a Native School — State of the Country — 

Preparations to leave Calcutta 48 

2 



18 CONTENTS. 



LETTER IV. 

Leaving Calcutta — Mr. Parry — Manner of Traveling — 
Vin&hya Hills — Hindoo Legend — Progress up the Gountry — 
Impressions of Benares — Mr. Heinig . Page 58 

LETTER V. 

Departure from Benares — Arrival at Allahabad — Separation 
there — Our Visit with Mr. Munnis and Family — Indian Bail- 
way — Traveling by Horse Dak — Cawnpore — Agra- — Taj- 
Mahal — Port — Journey to Meerut 65 

LETTER VI. 

Departure from Meerut — Saharunpore — Deyrah Doon — 
Rajpore — Himalayas — Hill Vehicle — Hill Journey — April 
Pools — Acquisitions — Snowy Range — Rope Bridge — Tee- 
ree — Visit at the Rajah's Court — Scenery — Arrival at Ny- 
neeTal T5 

LETTER VIE. 

Nynee Tal — Nynee Davee — Mount Chenar — Daily Rou- 
tine — Girls' School — Boys' School — Mrs. Parsons — Blun- 
ders — Orphan Boys 91 

LETTER VIDE. 

Rainy Season — Laying Corner-stone of First Mission Chapel 
— Removal of two Families to Lucknow — Eurasian Moonshee 
and Wife — Mr. H. begins to Preach in Hindoostanee — 
Laughable Mistake. , , 103 



CONTENTS. 19 



LETTER IX. 

Journey to Moradabad — Garden — Bazar Preaching — Call from 
the Sikhs — Yisit at their Villages — Mission House pro tern. — 
Mr. H. goes to Bareilly — Removal there — Servants — Cash- 
mere Kotee— Native Assistants — Hindoo Festivals.. .Page 114 

LETTER X. 

Acquaintances in Bareilly — Orphan Boys and the Tiger — 
Effect produced by Bazar Preaching — School — Inquirers — 
Rumors in regard to the Mission — Zahoor-ul-Huqq — Hot 
Season — Dust Storm — Fruit . . 128 

LETTER XL 

Rainy Season — Its Accompaniments — Beetles — Reptiles, 
etc. — Masih Buksh — Arrival of Missionaries — Journey to 
Lucknow — Items in regard to the City — Annual Meeting 
No. 1 — Return to Bareilly — Death of Mr. Downey 143 

LETTER XII. 

Visit with Friends — Arrival of Mrs. Downey — Hindoo Fes- 
tival — Arrival of Dr. Butler and Family — Commence Itinerat- 
ing — A Peep behind the Purdah — Journey to Budaon — 
Lieut. Governor — Nawab of Rampore — Robbery — Budaon 
to be a Mission Station — Baptisms — - Removal 152 

LETTER X3H. 

Epitome of the Hindoo Religion — Natal, Marriage, and Fune- 
ral Ceremonies — Seasons — Products of the Country 163 



20 CONTENTS. 

LETTER XIV. 

Missionary Work in Budaon — Girls' School — Itineratings — 
Hot Season — Tattees — Small Pox — Journey to Nynee Tal — 
Sickness in the Mission — Death of Jesse R. Pierce — Return 
to Budaon Page 182 

LETTER XV. 

Unusual Heat — Drought — Famine — Strange Vagaries of 
Hindooism — Service of the Church of England — Anglo- Ver- 
nacular School — School for Boys of the Sweeper Caste — 
Illness — A Friend in Need — Convalescence — Hindoo Fair — 
Cold Season — Famine Orphans — Christmas Observances — 
Annual Meeting — Removal to Bareilly 193 

LETTER XVI. 

Startling News from Home — Girls' School — Arrangement 
of Native Work in Bareilly — Effect of Preaching — Inquirer — 
His Persecutions — Conversion — Narrowly escapes Martyrdom 

— Liberality of English Residents — Building — Heavy Rains 

— Wesleypore Colony — Removal to Shahjehanpore 207 

LETTER XVn. 

Marriage of Mr. Thoburn to Mrs. Downey — Translating 
Hymns — Mr. Ulman — Reminiscences of the Mutiny in Shah- 
jehanpore — Luckimpore — Mrs. Pierce — Dr. Kareem Buksh — 
Baptisms — Persecution of Native Christians — Visit to some 
Native Women — Journey to Nynee Tal — Illness — Return 
Home — Death of Mrs. Jackson — Death of Mrs. Thoburn — 
Journey to Bareilly — Death of Mrs. Pierce 220 



CONTENTS. 21 

LETTER XVHI. 

Moradabad — Native Christians — Dr. Mullens — Journey to 
Lahore — Girls' School — Annual Meeting — Arrangement of 
"Work — Effect of Preaching — Boys' School — Translations — 
Preparations to return Home — Meela — Interesting Aspect of 
Native Work — Zahoor-ul-Huqq — Umbeeka Churn.. .Page 240 

LETTER XIX. 

Parting with Native Christians — Journey to Calcutta — 
Screw Steamer Golden Fleece — Madras — Illness — Cape of 
Good ' Hope — Equator — Fright — Land's End — England — 
Ireland — Atlantic — New York. 



Appendix ...„ 284 



llIttstratijirM, 



PAGE 

Printing Office at Baeeillt 2 

An Indian River 35 

Mission Premises at Ntnee Tal 90 

Native Christians of Nynee Tal 109 

Mission Premises at Bareilly 142 

Mission Premises at Budaon 183 

Mission Premises at Shahjehanpore 223 

Cemetery at Nynee Tal 249 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 



LETTER I. 

Sailing from Boston — Atlantic Ocean — Services on Board 
Ship — South American Coast off the Cape of Good Hope — 
Storms — Bay of Bengal — Danger off Sand Heads — Pilot — 
Terrible News — Natives of India — Hooghly River — Calcutta. 

Calcutta, Oct. 12, 1587. 

My Dear Mother, — As we are. now com- 
fortably settled in Calcutta, I have leisure to 
write you of our voyage and arrival in India. 
We sailed from Boston, as you know, on the first 
day of June, in the good ship Mobe, Captain 
Storer. 

It was a rainy, unpleasant morning, but a 
large number of people came on board. Dr. 
Durbin, the corresponding secretary of our Mis- 
sionary Board, Kev. D. Terry, and Dr. and Mrs. 
Peck of New York, were also with us. 

We met in the ship's cabin, where Dr. Durbin 
delivered a parting address and commended us 
to the keeping of God. We then bade our 



24 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

friends good-by, the anchor was weighed, and 
the Niobe bore us seaward. 

Our party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce 
and their little babe, Mrs. Owen, of the Amer- 
ican Presbyterian Mission in India, and our- 
selves. We remained on deck gazing upon those 
lovely and beloved shores till they could no 
longer be distinguished. " Shall we never see 
this dear land again ? " we involuntarily asked 
ourselves as the last point disappeared, and we 
felt ourselves cut adrift from the safe moorings 
of home and country. 

Our gallant ship sped boldly on her course, 
away, away into the dim distance of angry 
waters. I forgot all my fears in the sublimity 
of our surroundings, there was something so sol- 
emn, as well as so grand, in the isolation and 
danger of our position, cut off entirely thus from 
all human aid. 

It soon became necessary for us to arrange 
our state-rooms, for sundry sensations warned us 
that a time was fast approaching when exertion 
would not be practicable. 

Our apprehensions were more than realized. 
For over a week, all our company, except Mrs. 
Owen, kept mostly to their rooms, and woful 
sounds and lamentations were often heard. Day 
after day the ship rolled and pitched about on 
the heaving sea, a provokingly fine wind giving 
us little chance to rest. 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 25 

The latter part of the second week we all 
began to rally, and as the Sabbath was calm and 
pleasant, we were able to be present on deck at 
the service which Captain Storer kindly permit- 
ted to be held. The officers, and all the sailors 
that could be spared from duty, were present. 
The capstan served for a pulpit as well as an 
anchor for the speaker, and seats were spirited 
up from parts unknown to us, and ranged around 
it for the little congregation. The precious 
words of divine truth, the singing, the prayers, 
all sounded very sweetly to our ears, mingled as 
they were with the low murmurings of the At- 
lantic waters. 

We had morning and evening prayers regu- 
larly throughout the voyage, and a Bible-class 
every Thursday evening. Many a time when 
we knelt we were obliged to cling to the sta- 
tionary sofas by the dining-table to keep our 
balance, on account of the rolling of the vessel ; 
but this did not prevent our enjoying the pre- 
cious privilege of prayer. 

"We had a very uneventful voyage down the 
Atlantic, but the novelty of sea-life kept us from 
being lonely. Toward the last of June the 
winds bore us too much in a westerly direction, 
and on the fourth of July we found ourselves in 
the vicinity of the South American coast, near 
Cape St. Eoque. The main land could be only 
faintly discerned with the aid of a telescope, 



26 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

but an island was plainly visible all day. It 
was the Fernando Koronha Island, used by the 
Brazilian government as a place of banishment 
for convicts. 

The easterly winds and the lee shore were 
not very pleasant ; but after a great deal of 
"tacking ship" we succeeded in getting fur- 
ther out to sea. We were detained in the torrid 
zone for a number of days by light variable 
winds and calms, and suffered extremely from 
the intense heat. The calm weather continued 
for some time, and we were only able to make 
about seventy-five miles daily until we crossed 
the tropic of Capricorn and entered the south 
temperate zone. The wind then increased until 
it culminated in a grand gale, broken by occa- 
sional squalls of hail. The waves ran mountain 
high, and when bursting in the sunshine, threw 
out innumerable rainbows of brightest hues. 

As we were approaching the Cape of Good 
Hope in the winter season (the seasons are in- 
verted south of the equator you know) we had 
reason to expect very severe storms. Sea-pig- 
eons, cape-hens, and occasionally a beautiful 
albatross, came circling round our ship, and the 
sailors had much amusement in catching them. 
The albatross is a very large bird. Some of 
those we caught, when both wings were ex- 
tended, measured over three yards across. 

Off the Cape the weather was very cold ; but 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 27 

we had no storms except squalls of wind and 
hail. We saw the phosphorus in the water in 
the vicinity of the Cape. For several nights 
the ship seemed to be sailing on a sea of fire, 
arid her wake a track of brilliant sparks. 

On the eleventh of August a brisk west wind 
carried us quite out of the neighborhood of the 
Cape, and increased to such a gale as we had 
not previously experienced. 

For nine days the wind blew with terrific 
violence. Our ship was " hove to " several 
times, heavy waves broke over her and came 
into the cabin in showers. We had great diffi- 
culty in getting our meals, on account of the 
violent pitching of the vessel, which made it 
almost an impossibility to move about at all. 
During the remainder of our voyage we were 
continually threatened with storms, but were 
really overtaken by nothing worse than violent 
squalls. 

We reached the light-ship off Sandhead Sep- 
tember 17, and fully expected to receive a pilot 
on board then and there. We came up along- 
side the vessel at ten o'clock P. M., and were 
received, according to usage, with a splendid 
blue light, and a rocket ; but no pilot came on 
board, and we were obliged to cast anchor and 
wait quietly till morning to ascertain the reason 
why. 

The morning brought great anxiety. There 



28 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

was no pilot-brig in sight, nothing but the soli- 
tary light-ship. She was very tardy in answer- 
ing^ onr signals, but finally told us that the 
pilot-brig usually there had been driven ashore 
in a recent storm, and we must go to another 
point for a pilot. The question then was, 
"What is to be done?" We had consumed 
the greater part of the day in obtaining the 
intelligence that we must look elsewhere for a 
pilot. We were anchored in an exceeding dan- 
gerous position, being very near some invisible 
sandbanks, and exposed to the force of the cur- 
rents which set in toward the land in the 
morning, and changing about mid-day, set 
strongly seaward. The other light-ship was 
about iive hours' sail from us with the light 
wind we then had. The turbid, angry waters 
lashed the sides of our good ship with a mourn- 
ful sound, and the clouds betokened an ap- 
proaching storm. 

All our sails were furled, and two of our 
anchors imbedded in the sand. The captain 
decided to weigh the anchor, and gave the 
necessary orders. He appeared extremely anx- 
ious. The oldest sailor on board was placed at 
the helm, and others were directed to stand 
ready by the ropes in order to unfurl the upper 
sails the moment the order should be given. 
If the sails had been unfurled too soon, we 
might have lost our anchors ; but if, on the con- 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 29 

trary, they had not been spread soon enough, 
the current would have sent us aground, and 
our gallant Niobe, which had borne us safely 
over so many thousands of trackless miles, would 
have capsized, and probably every soul of us 
would have been lost. 

The anchors were weighed, and rapidly as 
possible the sails were being unfurled. We stood 
in breathless suspense on the deck, the mission- 
aries were hard at work with the sailors, when 
the captain, who stood bareheaded in the hot 
sun, watching every motion of the sailors and 
the ship, while heavy perspiration poured off 
his face, exclaimed in a frenzied manner, as he 
saw we were being drawn near a sandbank, 
" My God, we are lost ! " It was a terrible 
moment ; but almost immediately another sail 
was set, and the ship righted on her course 
toward the other light-ship. 

At nine o'clock that evening Captain S. came 
down into the cabin where we were all sitting, 
and said smilingly, " My good friends, I am 
happy to inform you that we have reached the 
light-ship." We hastened on deck and beheld 
a delightful sight indeed. ISTot merely one, but 
a dozen or more ships were about us. We felt 
restored to the world of mankind again, and 
rejoiced that our long solitary voyage was in- 
deed over. Alas, we little knew what terrible 
tidings would reach us on the morrow ! 



30 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

The morning of the nineteenth of September 
dawned clear and lovely. The threatening 
storm had passed over. About eight o'clock a 
boat pnt off from one of the ships and came 
alongside with a pilot. " There," said Captain 
Storer to us, " there are some of the people you 
have come to benefit." We looked over the 
bulwarks with intense interest to obtain our 
first sight of the natives of Hindoostan. There 
they were, six small well-formed men, with 
shining brown skins, straight black hair, and 
regular, pleasant features. They were bare- 
headed, and wore ever so little clothing, merely 
a strip of cloth wound about their loins. The 
pilot, although well dressed, looked nearly as 
dark as they, and Captain S. remarked that he 
was evidently of mixed descent. He came on 
board at once, and upon Captain Storer's invi- 
tation followed us down into the cabin, bring- 
ing with him a bundle of newspapers. 

"You have heard the news, I suppose," he 
asked. " I don't know why you should suppose 
so," said Captain S. " We left the port of Bos- 
ton June 1, and have not made land since, nor 
spoken a vessel for over two months." 

The pilot looked round upon us as if to 
note the effect of his words as he said, 
"Well, the Sepoy army has mutinied through- 
out all Northern India, the people have gen- 
erally assisted them, and they have massacred 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 31 

most of the European residents in the different 
stations." 

Mrs. Owen, whose husband had remained at 
his work while she made the home visit, sank 
into a seat in great agitation. "Are the mis- 
sionaries at Allahabad murdered ? " she asked. 
" JSTo," said he, " I think not ; some of them I 
know are in Calcutta, and perhaps all; I am 
not certain on that point." 

Then it was our turn. " What about Bareil- 
ly ? " we asked with sinking hearts. 

"There were several murdered there," he 
answered ; " but most of the residents escaped 
to Nynee Tal, a station in the Sub-Himalayas, 
about seventy-five miles from Bareilly, where 
they are comparatively safe, as the hill-men 
have not mutinied, and the nawab of Kampore, 
a small native state, which lies between the two 
places, is loyal to the government." He gave 
us the newspapers, saying we would learn from 
them all we wished, and much more, and then 
he went on deck to his duties. 

What a sudden crushing of all our hopes and 
plans was this terrible intelligence ! We looked 
at each other in blank silence when we were 
left alone, half paralyzed by the shock we had 
received. Not until we had talked the matter 
over, and read some of the newspaper accounts, 
could we realize the extent of the calamity that 
had befallen us. 



32 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

Befallen us indeed ! Why, what reason we 
had for gratitude to God that calms and contrary- 
winds had hindered onr earlier arrival. But 
the European residents of India, how our hearts 
ached for them as we read of the successive 
outbreaks and massacres at Meerut, Delhi, Ba- 
reilly, Shahjehanpore, Allahabad, Futteghur, 
and the horrible butchery at Cawnpore ! Our 
tears fell fast as we read of the devoted band of 
missionaries from our own land who were mar- 
tyred there. Of four families but one child 
escaped. He was the sou of Mr. Campbell, and 
being an invalid had been sent to a hill station 
in the care of a chaplain of the Church of En- 
gland. 

What indignities they suffered, what agonies 
they endured, no one knows ; nothing further 
than that, having left their home in Futteghur 
in company with the surviving residents, they 
came down in boats near Cawnpore, where they 
were captured by a party of troopers belonging 
to the infamous Nana Sahib, and taken to Cawn- 
pore, where they were shot a few hours after 
their arrival. 

The lists of murdered and escaped residents 
of Bareilly were given; but as Mr. Butler's 
name was omitted in both lists, we were left in 
uncertainty regarding his fate until we reached 
Calcutta. That place also had been in great 
danger, and but two weeks previous to our ar- 



SIX YEABS IN INDIA. 33 

rival indications of an outbreak were so marked 
that the frightened residents took refuge on 
board the shipping. It was safe at this time, 
however, as the citizens had armed and organ- 
ized themselves into a military corps, and the 
Sepoy regiments (that is, native soldiery) had 
been disarmed. 

We anchored off Saugur Island, just at the 
entrance of the Hoogley river, the night after 
taking the pilot on board. The next morning, 
which was the Sabbath, dawned brightly upon 
scenes strange to us. The land lay on either 
side of us, flat and marshy ; south was the open 
sea, north the turbid river. 

A boat full of natives came alongside early 
in the day, and after considerable bargaining, 
remained to help work the ship, as the frequent 
casting of the lead, changing of the sails, weigh- 
ing and casting anchors, etc., was very fatiguing. 
These boatmen are called "lascars." They 
fastened their boat to the stern of our ship, and 
prepared and ate their food on it, so that their 
caste should not be injured by too close contact 
with " Feringhees," as they call white for- 
eigners. 

Their curry, which we watched them pre- 
pare over a little fire built on an iron plate, was 
composed of fish cut up in pieces and cooked 
with a finely powdered mixture of spices, garlic, 
and onions, with sufficient oil to make a rich 
3 



34 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

gravy ! Captain S. had some prepared for the 
table, but it was so hot with cayenne pepper 
that we could not eat it. 

¥e passed up the river some distance that 
day, and anchored just above the bar James and 
Mary. We thought the scenery very tame and 
dreary, although the " feathery palm trees " rose 
thickly in occasional groves, and little villages, 
or collections of mud and straw huts, dotted the 
fields. Several kinds of fruit were brought on 
board during the day. We liked the bananas 
better than any other kind we tasted. 

With the morning tide we recommenced our 
course up the river. We saw some singular 
looking objects floating past our ship at different 
points during the day, and upon inquiry learned 
that they were corpses ! Had we not a strangely 
disagreeable reception in India ? First, tidings 
of the cruelty of the people, and second, these 
silent loathsome witnesses of their superstition ! 
We learned from Mrs. Owen, that away from 
the sea in the inland portion of the country, the 
Hindoos burn their deceased friends, and scatter 
their bones and ashes on the Ganges, of which 
the Hooghly is a branch, but near the sea they 
sometimes cast them in without burning. 

We anchored at evening, September 21st, op- 
posite the ex-king of Oude's palace, near our 
proper moorings in the port of Calcutta. 

The tide turned too early for us to reach our 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 37 

proper position, as we had expected ; but we 
were, after all, but a short distance down the 
stream. 

Ton are aware that we had letters of intro- 
duction to Messrs. Stewart and Young, of Cal- 
cutta. We were doubly glad that was the case 
when we learned the state of the country, and 
were especially grateful to Mr. Young for hast- 
ening on board that evening to relieve our anx- 
iety. To our great joy and relief we learned 
that Mr. Butler and family were safe in Kynee 
Tal. By his directions Mr. Young has rented 
and furnished a house for us in Calcutta, as we 
cannot possibly go to our mission field now, and 
probably will not be able to for a long time to 
come. 

The last night we spent on the Mobe was 
very trying. The heat was almost stifling, the 
musquitoes almost maddening, and the incessant 
shrieks and mournful cries of the jackals almost 
terrifying ! What fancy could have taken Bishop 
Heber, who wrote so many sensible things, that 
he should ever say so absurd a thing as the 
" Jackal's sylvan notes % " 

The morning of the 22d was necessarily a 
busy time, as we expected to land quite early. 
While in the midst of our labors a tall gentle- 
man rushed down the stairs and inquired for 
Mrs. Owen. It was her husband, and you may 
imagine her joy at seeing him safe and well. 



38 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

Messrs. Stewart and Young came for us about 
two o'clock P.M. We were not sorry to leave 
the ISTiobe. Nearly four months of sea life had 
thoroughly wearied us of its sameness, and yet 
as we thought of the state of the country and 
the uncertainty of our prospects, the ship seemed 
like a refuge to which we might be glad to re- 
turn, where we should have only the elements to 
battle with. 

We were assisted into a native boat, called a 
dinghy, and were soon rowed ashore, where we 
found two cabs in waiting, and we were soon set 
down at the residence of our good friends Messrs. 
Stewart and Young. 

As there are so many things that strike us as 
strange all about us, I will defer all descriptions 
till my next. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 39 



LETTEE II. 

First Impressions of Calcutta — First Dinner on Shore — Native 
Servants, Punkahs — Curry — Housekeeping — Studying the 
Language — A Native Christian — Dr. Duff— Mr. Poorie — Pa- 
lanquins — Buksheesh — The Mutiny — The Climate. 

Calcutta, Nov. 1, 1857. 

My Deae Mothee, — In order to give you some- 
thing of an idea of the strangeness of everything 
that met our eyes upon our arrival, I will com- 
mence my descriptions at Garden Keach, the 
landing place, where we took carriages. 

As we drove through the suburbs and streets 
of the city we were astonished at the swarming 
population. The shops were open to the streets, 
and full of half naked men and boys. The 
streets, also, were teeming with life, and from 
the mud and straw huts came the sound of many 
voices. We came to the European residences, 
and although they did not quite meet our expect- 
ations of the " City of Palaces," they certainly 
were lofty and airy-looking dwellings. 

We soon arrived at the house of our friends ; 
for although Mr. Stewart's family is in Scotland 
and Mr. Young is unmarried, they yet keep 
house. We were at once shown up a wide 
staircase, as they and most Europeans use the 



40 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

first floor only for storage, offices, etc., on account 
of its dampness. 

At four o'clock we were summoned to dinner, 
and were gratified with the evidence it afforded 
us that Mohammedan cooks can prepare ex- 
tremely palatable dishes. The servants are 
very different from the boatmen and common 
people of the streets in dress and manners. 
The table servants dress with great neatness in 
long loose white cotton trousers, long half-fitting 
coats, and white muslin turbans. The custom 
in Calcutta is to have a waiter or khidmatgar for 
each member of a family, a khansamah, or stew- 
ard, to oversee everything relating to the table, 
and a cook, or vawurchee. This latter individual 
never appears to public view, but leads a retired 
life among the pots and kettles of the cookhouse. 

The Hindoos cannot become our cooks or 
table servants, as their religion forbids their 
touching meat. They pull the punkahs, keep 
the house in order, run on errands, and are dur- 
bans, or gatekeepers. Their dress is composed 
of a smaller turban than the Mohammedan 
sports, or else a small white cotton cap called 
a topee, a short coat which opens on the right 
side, in contradistinction to the Mohammedans,- 
which opens on the left, and a long piece of 
copperas-colored cotton folded about the loins 
in such a manner as to form long lappets falling 
down to their knees. This cloth is the only part 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 41 

of their attire which they wear while taking 
their food, as every other article of their apparel 
has been rendered unclean by having been in 
the hands of men of a lower caste to be washed ; 
but this article is washed daily by themselves, 
and so kept holy ! 

But I must not fail to describe the punkahs. 
They form too important an accessory to our 
comfort to be forgotten. There is first a frame 
of wood about twelve feet in length and one 
foot in width, which is covered smoothly with 
coarse cloth, which is afterward painted, and 
ornamented so cleverly as to look quite like 
wood. This is suspended from the ceiling by 
ropes, just low enough to allow people to pass 
under after a heavy double frill, about ten inches 
in width, has been attached. In the center is a 
ring of iron, to which is fastened a rope. This 
passes through an aperture in the wall left for 
that purpose, and is pulled steadily by a servant 
sitting in the hall or verandah. The air of the 
room is thus kept continually in motion by the 
punkah, and a certain degree of coolness is 
obtained. 

The European residents do not generally 
have the punkahs swinging at night, as a fresh 
sea-breeze makes the nights in Calcutta far 
more tolerable than the days. 

But to return to our dinner at Mr. Stewart's. 
It was very like an ordinary dinner at home, 



42 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

with the addition of ale and wine. The meats 
and vegetables were served on double plates 
filled with hot water. This is necessary on 
account of the punkah, which cools the food too 
much if these plates are not used. The second 
course consisted of rice and curry. The rice 
was beautifully cooked, every kernel distinct 
and dry, though perfectly tender. The curry 
was dressed with clarified butter, called " ghee," 
instead of oil, and looked very inviting. As 
our friends assured us we would like it, we at- 
tempted to eat a little ; but the pungent taste 
made us glad to relinquish the undertaking. 

After dinner, and an early cup of delicious 
Assam tea, we drove over to our own house. 
We found it to be similar to Mr. Stewart's in 
most respects. The one great necessity — cool- 
ness — makes much variety in architecture im- 
possible. 

There seems to be but one material used for 
buildings, namely, brick, and the walls are 
always plastered on both sides. The floors and 
roofs are also of brick and mortar, the latter 
being made over wooden beams. The rooms 
are high, varying from sixteen to twenty-five 
feet, and are all large, and abundantly supplied 
with glass folding-doors instead of windows. 
There are also green blinds, which quite exclude 
the intense glare of the sun. At night we 
fasten the blinds and open the glass doors to 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 43 

admit the air. The floors are covered with a 
fine matting. 

The trials of housekeeping under such un- 
usual circumstances were much lightened by 
the kindness of our friends. They gave us for 
our khansamah one of their own servants, on 
account of his being able to speak a little 
broken English. We would find it a difficult 
matter to get on comfortably without him, as 
we cannot well always have a dictionary at 
hand. This language looks like a great 
mountain; shall we ever scale it? We are 
studying almost constantly now, as we have 
the long-coveted helps. We use Forbes's Gram- 
mar, and have Forbes's, Shakspeare's, and 
Yates's dictionaries. 

Our teacher or moonshee is John Caleb, a 
native Christian catechist, who belongs to the 
American Presbyterian Mission in Allahabad. 
He was educated in that mission from a child, 
and was so well known for his earnest piety 
that when the mutiny occurred in Allahabad, 
and the Sepoys did not succeed in finding him, 
they offered a reward of five hundred rupees 
(|250) for his head. When Mr. Owen came to 
Calcutta he brought Caleb with him. We have 
engaged his services as moonshee, and he occu- 
pies a room in our house. He speaks English 
very well. 

Although we have been but a few days over 



44 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

a month in Calcutta we have made quite a large 
number of acquaintances. 

We were invited to tea by the Eev. Dr. Duff 
soon after our arrival, and passed a delightful 
evening at his house. 

Dr. Duff is a veteran in the missionary serv- 
ice. He is at the head of the educational 
department, and has a college for native youth 
in charge, which is said to be a very fine insti- 
tution. He is from the land of Bruce, and is a 
fine scholar, a very eloquent preacher, and an 
earnest and devoted missionary. He is very 
genial in liis manners, and gives one an exalted 
idea of Scotchmen in general. We were also 
invited a few evenings since to the house of the 
Rev. Mr. Poorie, where we met Mr. and Mrs. 
Owen, and quite a large company of Calcutta 
missionaries. 

Mr. and Mrs. Poorie are in charge of an or- 
phanage for native girls, which now has fifty 
inmates. Mrs. P. superintends the establish- 
ment mostly, and has several classes in the 
school. Mr. P. is associated with Dr. Duff in 
the college. 

Instead of always calling a garee or cab when 
we wish to go out, we occasionally use the pal- 
kees, or palanquins, as the Europeans call them. 
They are very like the pictures we have seen of 
them. A palkee is made of nicely painted 
wood, shaped like a trunk, long enough to lie 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 4:5 

down in, high enough to sit in, comfortably 
cushioned, with sliding-doors at the sides. Two 
short poles are firmly fastened at each end near 
the top, by which natives carry the vehicle on 
their shoulders. There are feet at each corner 
which prevent it from being quite level with 
the ground when set down. It is usually only 
large enough for one person. 

Four men, two at each end, carry it, and if 
the distance is great, two or four men go along 
to change. These men are Hindoos, of the caste 
called kahars. A number of them club to- 
gether, buy a palkee, and carry people for their 
living. There is rarely any difficulty in calling 
one when we wish to go out. 

There is one objection to them, and that is 
the fact that when you lie down in one you 
cannot be certain that your predecessor was the 
kind of person you would like to follow. Per- 
haps it was a drunken soldier or a half-crazed 
sailor, (Calcutta is thronged with them,) per- 
haps an oily Hindoo gentleman, a " baboo," as 
he is called; anybody who possessed money 
enough to pay the fare. 

The kahars are never satisfied with the usual 
fare, but always clamor for a gratuity, "buk- 
skeesh," as they term it. You were either very 
heavy, and they had a hard time of it, or you 
were so thin and feeble looking that they car- 
ried you with extraordinary care. For some 



46 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

plausible reason or other you certainly ought 
to give them buksheesh. They travel with a 
sort of half-trotting step, accompanying each 
motion with a shrug of the shoulders and a 
lugubrious " ugh." 

It is said that they often indulge in remarks 
to each other not at all complimentary to the 
occupant of the palkee, such as, " He is a heavy 
fellow, my brother ; let's throw him down ;" 
and another will answer, " O but he has a 
terrible temper, he will beat us," etc. 

The country remains in much the same state 
as when we landed ; but when the troops that 
have recently arrived shall reach the upper 
provinces the mutiny will probably be put 
down immediately. Generals JSTeal and Have- 
lock, with their small band, forced their way 
into Lucknow to the relief of the beleaguered 
garrison, but they are still too few to free the 
place. General JSTeal was killed when they 
were entering the city. A mine was found by 
the relieving party which would probably have 
destroyed the fortifications if it had not been 
thus fortunately discovered. 

The weather is very oppressive, hot and close. 
The rainy season is considered closed, although 
we have occasional showers. 

The houses are much discolored by the long 
rains, and in many places are covered with fine 
green moss. Little shrubs have sprung up on 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 47 

the roofs and in crevices of the walls. The 
atmosphere is stormy and malarions. Cholera 
is said to be very prevalent, but not unusually 
so for this season of the year. Europeans do 
not seem to be very much afraid of its ravages, 
I suppose because they are so accustomed to its 
presence, as there is more or less of it in the 
city all the year round. 



48 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 



LETTEE III. 

Calcutta — Its Early History — Public Buildings — Botanical 
Gardens — New Tear — An Ayah — Mr. Lacroix — Visit 
at Examination of a Native School — State of the Country — 
Preparations to leave Calcutta. 

Calcutta, February 20, 1858. 

My deab Motheb, — While war, with all its 
attendant horrors, has been ravaging the land, 
we have dwelt securely in this city, and been 
busily preparing ourselves for our future work 
by studying the language and, so far as we can, 
the ftanners and customs of the people. 

Calcutta is situated on the east bank of the 
Hooghly River, about one hundred miles from 
its mouth. It was a small village when ac- 
quired by the English in 1700, in the center of 
which stood an old black building called by the 
natives "kalee kotee," that is, black house, 
hence the anglicized name Calcutta. 

Beyond the Mahratta Ditch (an intrench- 
ment intended as a defense against the incur- 
sions of the Mahratta tribe) are the suburbs of 
Chitpore, Bhowaneepore, Alipore, and others. 
On the opposite side of the river are the villages 
of Seebpore, Howrah, and Sulkeah. The city 
is defended by Fort William, which is built of 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 49 

an octagonal form, and mounts six hundred and 
nineteen guns. Among the public buildings 
are the Government House and the Town Hall, 
both fine structures, the Mohammedan and 
Hindoo colleges, Metcalfe Hall, and the Och- 
terlony Monument. 

About three miles below the city, on the 
Howrah side of the river, there are extensive 
botanical gardens, laid out with good taste and 
effect. 

The most elevated part of Calcutta is only 
thirty feet above the sea level. It is thought 
probable that some day the city may be wholly 
submerged. In May, 1850, the population of 
Calcutta, exclusive of suburbs, was 413,182. 

We visited the botanical gardens on Christ- 
mas Day and saw many brilliant flowers and 
magnificent trees. Messrs. Stewart and Young, 
also Mr. and Mrs. Owen, accompanied us. Our 
khansamah carried a basket of refreshments, and 
arranged them very nicely on a table-cloth 
spread on the grass. 

We sat around on shawls, quite in oriental 
fashion. The Banian tree was the most re- 
markable object we saw. It covers an area of 
about half an acre. The ground under it is 
paved, and seats are placed at convenient dis- 
tances. 

Another very great attraction to foreigners is 
a beautiful scarlet-leaved tree, which is about as 
4 



50 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

high as our own Mountain Ash. The leaves 
are long and grow in clusters, in the centers of 
which are several tiny pale green bnds. There 
is not a green leaf on the tree, and the effect of 
the sunlight upon the red leaves is most 
gorgeous. 

On New Year's eve we dined with our gen- 
tlemen friends. Our thoughts often turned 
homeward, and I presume theirs did also; but 
we nevertheless passed a very pleasant evening. 

"We recently attended a very interesting ex- 
amination of the Mission School of the Lon- 
don Missionary Society at Bhowaneepore. It 
is at present in the charge of Rev. E. Stor- 
row. There are more than four hundred lads 
in attendance. Essays were read upon the ne- 
cessity and obligation of maintaining family 
prayer, and similar subjects, by nominal Hin- 
doos. To all appearance they were thorough 
believers in the Christian religion, and probably 
it is so ; but the strong bond of caste keeps them 
within the pale of Hindooism. The Asiatic 
Museum, which we have visited twice, contains 
a fine collection of works of nature and art. 

We occasionally drive out on the "strand," 
which is a broad road on the bank of the 
Hooghly, and is a place of general resort every 
evening. Hundreds of carriages, drawn by 
spirited horses, with gayly-dressed natives in 
attendance, together with humbler equipages, 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 51 

and ladies and gentlemen on horseback, throng 
the street. Often a party of sailors, intent on 
making the most of their stay in port, hire a 
couple of ponies, and, with two or three on each, 
mingle in the crowd. 

I have not yet told you of our female servant. 
She is an ayah, or nurse for Mrs. Pierce's babe, 
and is a very agreeable addition to our house- 
hold. With her came our first knowledge of 
native women, except so far as we could judge 
by the Bengalee women of low caste whom we 
see in the streets. She is a Mussulmanee, as the 
female followers of Mohammed are called. She 
wears muslin trowsers, and over them a long 
skirt of the same material, and a short loose 
jacket with short sleeves, which leave her arms 
free to be decorated with bracelets. She always 
has her head, shoulders, and waist enveloped in a 
chuddur, which is a piece of muslin about three 
yards in length and one and a half in width. 
She puts this over her head, and crossing her 
chest, throws one end of it gracefully over one 
shoulder. She wears bracelets, earrings, finger 
and toe rings, of silver. 

The missionaries of different denominations 
are very much united here. Every month they 
meet on an appointed morning and breakfast 
together, after which they discuss the interests 
of the missionary work, read essays, hold dis- 
Mr. Lacroix stands at the head 



52 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

of the preaching department. He is a native 
of Switzerland, but is in the employ of the 
London Missionary Society. He has been over 
thirty years in India engaged in the missionary 
work. His head is now sprinkled with silver, 
but his form is erect, and his face beams with 
kindly feeling. He is a noble man, and a most 
laborious missionary. He is said to be remark- 
ably proficient in the Bengalee language, as is 
also his eldest daughter, Mrs. Mullens. Dr. 
and Mrs. Mullens are also engaged in the mis- 
sionary work. 

We have spent several delightful evenings at 
Mr. Lacroix's home, in the society of his charm- 
ing family and invited guests, and our memories 
of those occasions will always be pleasant. We 
feel very grateful indeed to all the missionaries 
and other Christian friends in Calcutta for the 
kind courtesies and sympathy they have ex- 
tended toward us. 

Caleb has returned to Allahabad, but he re- 
mained long enough with us to render very 
valuable aid in commencing our studies. We 
held religious services every Sabbath morning 
while he remained with us. Our servants, at 
our request, were always present, and the mis- 
sionaries preached to them in turn, with Caleb 
as interpreter. All behaved very well, except 
the cook. We were quite astonished indeed to 
find we had so zealous a Mussulman in our cook- 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 53 

house. He often interrupted Caleb, saying, 
" Jesus is not; the Son of God, he is only a 
prophet, and not so great a prophet as Moham- 
med either." Caleb always answered him with 
admirable patience. 

The missionaries have also had many oppor- 
tunities to preach in English in various parts of 
the city, owing to the frequent vacancies caused 
by sickness, absence, etc. 

For several weeks past we have had social 
meetings in our parlor on Wednesday evenings. 
Mr. Stewart and two other gentlemen of our 
acquaintance, who are Wesleyans, meet with 
us. A Wesleyan soldier who landed one Wed- 
nesday, and had but one evening to spend in 
Calcutta, inquired for a Wesleyan prayer-meet- 
ing, and was directed to our house. He came 
in and seemed to enjoy meeting with us ex- 
ceedingly. 

Our stay in Calcutta is fast drawing to a ter- 
mination. We expect to leave in a few days. 
Whether we shall succeed in joining Mr. Butler, 
who has come down to Meerut, is somewhat 
doubtful ; but it seems best to try. If we suc- 
ceed we shall go to !Nynee Tal, and remain 
until the country is sufficiently settled for us to 
commence our work on the plains. It would 
be very desirable for us to be in ISTynee Tal 
during the ensuing hot season, as the mountain 
climate is delightful. The prospect of peace is 



54 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

brighter because the war is waged more vigor- 
ously. 

A large number of women and children from 
Lucknow, with the remains of the worn-out 
garrison who held out so long against fearful 
odds, have safely arrived in Allahabad, and will 
soon arrive in Calcutta. They were got away 
by a very clever stratagem of Sir Colin Camp- 
bell's, too late, however, to save the brave and 
good Havelock, who had been ill for some time. 
He was brought away in a dying state, and lies 
buried a short distance from Lucknow, toward 
Cawnpore. It yet remains to conquer the im- 
mense native army still in possession of Luck- 
now, and to retake Rohilcund. 

Another battle at Lucknow is imminent. 

If we go further up the country than Benares 
we must go quickly, as immediately upon the 
dispersion of the army at Lucknow the country 
will be overrun by marauders. 

Delhi, Meerut, Agra, Cawnpore, and Allaha- 
bad are quietly in possession of English troops. 
Benares is considered so safe that people are 
permitted to go there from Calcutta if they can ; 
but as the steamers, horses, and kahars are 
all monopolized by government to transport 
troops and stores up the country, it is not an 
easy matter for civilians to travel. "We are to 
go in private carriages drawn by kahars. We 
know it is extremely doubtful about always 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 55 

finding enough of them unemployed to take us 
along, but there certainly is no other way. Mr. 
Pierce's family will travel in a phaeton, and 
we have engaged what is called a palkee-garee, 
belonging to a gentleman in Allahabad, who is 
agent for a horse dak, that is, staging company. 
He is to give us passage by horse dak from 
Allahabad to Meerut if we take his garee safely 
to the former place. Mr. Parry, an old resi- 
dent in the country, is to take charge of the 
expedition, as he speaks the language fluently 
and understands the native character. He and 
his family have but recently escaped from 
Lucknow. 

We were at a loss to know what to do with 
our house, which was rented for a year ; but 
that, with all our furniture, was taken off our 
hands by the Relief Committee, and some of 
the tired refugees from Lucknow will soon find 
shelter here. 

But one more problem remained unsolved: 
how could our baggage be conveyed up the coun- 
try ? The missionaries resolved to make one more 
attempt to procure a passage for it by the steam- 
ers, and this time they were successful. They in- 
terested one of the captains in our enterprise, and 
he agreed to send our boxes up to Benares by the 
three next steamers, four boxes to go by each. 
Thus the last obstacles have vanished, and in so 
signal a manner as to leave no doubt in our 



56 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

minds in regard to our duty. So we go forth in 
the name of the Lord, not knowing what may 
befall us. We see our way clear to Benares. A 
friend there has invited us to his house, where 
we can remain until our way shall open to go 
on. Do not be anxious about us. Whatever 
may come, we are sure that we go forth under the 
direction and with the blessing of God, and you 
know we are not our own, to do our own will 
and pleasure, but we are bought with a price, 
even the precious blood of Jesus. We would 
" own him Lord, and in his footsteps tread." 

We are none of us in robust health. I have 
had the severest illness this season that I ever 
had, and am still far from well. I think it pos- 
sible the journey may do me good. We have 
so arranged our carriages that we can sleep quite 
comfortably, and thus we can travel night and 
day without great weariness. 

We have made several shopping excursions to 
look up hot water plates and other things in 
which we find ourselves deficient. We visited 
the old and new China bazars in our search. 
The shopkeepers are not all Chinamen, as the 
name would seem to imply; but there are many 
who, with the Hindoostanee merchants, quite be- 
wildered us with their jargon. The bazars are 
crowded constantly, and the tumult is some- 
thing overwhelming. The shopkeepers spy 
new-comers very quickly, and with every imagiii- 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 57 

able piece of merchandise in hand they crowd 
around, shouting in broken English, " Buy this 
box, mem sahib % Yery fine picture ! you buy ? " 
"Here is lovely bonnet, mem sahib." "What 
else you buy, mem sahib ? See, very fine book, 
magnificent combs, mem sahib," etc., etc. We 
could scarcely endure the noise long enough to 
buy what we wanted, and were glad to leave the 
busy scene. 

The hot season is fast approaching, and we 
are told that punkahs will be swinging again in 
two weeks. But we shall find it as cool in Mee- 
rut the last of March as now in Calcutta, so 
we hope the heat will not be overpowering 
during any portion of our journey. 



58 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 



LETTEE IY. 

Leaving Calcutta — Mr. Parry — Manner of Traveling — Vindhya 
Hills — Hindoo Legend concerning them — Progress up the 
Country — Impressions of Benares — Mr. Heinig. 

Benares, March 6, 1858. 

My Dear Mother, — We left Calcutta on the 
24th of last month, crossed the Hooghly, and 
took the cars at Howrah for Raneegunge. We 
slept on the floor of the station house at Ranee- 
gunge, about one hundred and twelve miles from 
Calcutta, the night of the 24th. 

The next morning our carriages, which had 
been sent up by rail the day previous, were 
drawn up by the station house, and our baggage 
arranged. Ours was a small garee with two 
seats opposite each other, like a cab. 

Our most valuable luggage was first placed 
in the space between the seats, and over it some 
small boxes of provision ; then two boards were 
fitted over the place, even with the seats, and 
our mattress placed over the whole, with 
blankets and pillows. Our trunks occupied the 
top of the garee. Mr. Parry called some ka- 
hars, and engaged a sufficient number to draw 
our carriages one stage, about ten miles. One 
man was sent ahead to gather the same number 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 59 

at the next chowkee or changing place. In this 
way we traveled both day and night, merely 
stopping an hour morning and evening to pre- 
pare food. 

We sometimes stopped at the small houses 
called dak bungalows, erected by government 
for the accommodation of travelers ; but these 
were so often found half destroyed that we 
placed no dependence upon them, but prepared 
and ate our simple meals under the beautiful 
mango and tamarind trees that stand near the 
road. 

But I have not told you of the road, and it 
truly deserves mention ; for of all the roads I 
ever saw, natural, macadamized, plank, or cor- 
duroy, the Grand Trunk Road, extending from 
Calcutta to Peshawur, a distance of eighteen 
hundred miles, is certainly the best. It is broad, 
smooth, and hard, being covered with a " calca- 
reous concretion" called kunkur, and beaten 
down very thoroughly. 

The country appears so flat, sandy, and bar- 
ren, that it would have seemed inconceivably 
desolate to us, but for the beautiful groves of 
mango and tamarind trees that dot the fields. 

The little villages, with their mud huts and 
thatched roofs, looked very dirty and poor. 
The villagers, however, seemed contented, and 
easily industrious, and were invariably respectful 
and obliging. 



60 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

8 

On the fourth day we crossed the Yindhya 
Hills. The Hindoos have a curious legend in 
regard to their origin. 

They say the Eajah of Ceylon stole Seeta, the 
wife of Earn, one of their gods. Earn at once 
summoned Hanooman, the king of apes, to his 
relief. He sent an army of apes, who came 
flying (!) from the Himalaya Mountains, laden 
with large stones, to construct a bridge from the 
continent to Ceylon, so that Earn might be en- 
abled to go over and recover his lost bride. 
They went back and forth several times for sup- 
plies; but finally, as they came flying along fully 
laden, word came from Eaur that the bridge 
was complete, so they dropped their burdens by 
the way, which formed this chain of hills. 

The Sabbath found us at a small place called 
Shergotty. "We found there a good dak bunga- 
low, and resolved to stay in it through the day, 
although we knew we were running some risk 
in doing so, as bands of rebels from various di- 
rections were hurrying toward Lucknow, and 
by remaining long in one place we were, of 
course, in more danger than when we were 
traveling. 

Toward night some English officers came to 
the bungalow, and a body of soldiers encamped 
near it. We were glad to see them, and wished 
we might have their company all the way to 
Meerut. Their coming, however, necessitated 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 61 

our departure, and as the evening shades gath- 
ered we lay down in our carriage-beds, and 
proceeded on our journey. 

We had heard rumors during the day that 
Sepoys were lurking about in that part of the 
country, and we were therefore a little more 
fearful than usual. 

Throughout the night we often fancied we 
saw stalwart forms starting out from the dim 
groves, and that we * heard strange voices shout- 
ing in the distance. But the morning dawned, 
and we were still unharmed. God had taken 
care of us. 

"We crossed the river Soane toward morning. 
During and immediately after the rains it is a 
wide stream ; in the month of February it is but 
a rivulet, and so continues until the ensuing 
rainy season. The bed of the river, however, 
was no trifle. We were obliged to have an 
extra number of men to drag our carriages 
through the deep sand. 

Early on Tuesday morning we approached 
the so-called holy city of Benares. But first 
was the Ganges, that stream of fearful memo- 
ries, whose waters are supposed by the deluded 
Hindoos to be efficacious in cleaning the soul 
from sin. It was our first view of the " sacred 
Ganges," and it did not strike us favorably. 
Although broad, the river is a sluggish, muddy 
stream, with an appearance strongly suggestive 



62 SIX YEAES IN INDIA, 

of alligators and Hindoo ashes ! Onr kahars 
shouted and gesticulated to make way for us as 
we crossed the river on the long shaky bridge of 
boats. The bridge is a rude affair ; but as it is 
often carried away by the rise of the river in the 
rainy season, I suppose it would not pay to have 
it look finer. 

The native part of the city, through which 
we passed, looked decidedly Hindooish, much 
more so than does Calcutta, Calcutta is more 
anglicized than I realized when there. When 
I saw the numerous temples of Benares, the 
ghauts, and frequent groups of fakeers or devo- 
tees, I realized that we were just beginning to 
see heathenism in its real hideousness. 

We went directly to the house of Mr. Hienig, 
a Baptist missionary, now living quite alone in 
his large bungalow, his wife having gone to En- 
gland with their children. We met her in Cal- 
cutta just before she sailed, and through her 
kindness received the invitation from Mr. Hie- 
nig to occupy rooms in his house while we should 
wish to stay in Benares. 

Immediately upon our arrival we were shown 
to some pleasant rooms, and told that Mr. Hie- 
nig's servants would procure us anything we 
might require. After breakfast we unpacked 
fresh clothing and bedding, and gave our soiled 
clothing over to the tender mercies of a Benares 
dhobee or washerman. After bathing and dress- 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 63 

ing, we enjoyed ourselves in looking about the 
premises. O how delightful it seemed to be 
safe and quiet once more ! 

Mr. Hienig's house is a bungalow one story 
high, on- a very low foundation. The roof is 
thatched with straw, put on a light framework 
of bamboos in four compartments running up to 
a point. This kind of roof gives a building a 
Yery singular appearance, but it is said to be the 
coolest kind that can be used in India. The 
only objections to it are its inflammable nature, 
and the necessity of renewal every three or four 
years. The floors and walls are of brick and 
mortar, as in Calcutta, but not so neatly finished. 
Overhead cotton cloth is closely fastened in 
each room, and then whitewashed. These ceil- 
ings are called chuts. They look very well, but 
when the wind blows wave considerably. 

There were a great many lizards about the 
house, which annoyed us somewhat. They fell 
on the beds and tables, and sometimes on us ; 
but as they are perfectly harmless we were not 
alarmed, although it was unpleasant to have 
them make so free. 

We enjoyed our visit with Mr. Hienig, and 
were much interested in his accounts of mission- 
ary work. 

Benares is situated on the east bank of the 
Ganges. It is three miles long and about one 
mile in width. The streets are narrow and 



64 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

crooked. The houses are generally built of 
sun-dried brick thatched with straw. 

Access is gained to the river by ghauts, built 
at convenient intervals along the banks. " But 
what are ghauts ? " you ask. They 'are small 
buildings, something like a pavilion, and are 
built as near the water as possible. Under 
them are stairs that go down into the water. 
The whole affair is built in the most substantial 
manner, with arches and pillars highly orna- 
mented. In the morning these ghauts are 
thronged by devout Hindoos as they go down 
into the sacred waters to bathe. 

Benares is a celebrated place of pilgrimage, 
as its numerous temples and pundits, that is, 
learned brahmins, render the place very holy in 
the estimation of the people. 

We are to leave to-morrow for Allahabad, 
thence to Meerut, from which place (if it please 
God to take us safely there) I will write you. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 65 



LETTEE V. 

Departure from Benares — Arrival at Allahabad — Separation 
there — Our Visit with Mr. Munnis and Family — Indian 
Railway — Traveling by Horse Dak — Cawnpore — Agra — 
Taj-Mahal — Fort — Journey to Meerut. 

Meeeut, March 20, 1858. 

My Dear Mother, — Friday morning we left 
Benares, and Saturday morning, thoroughly 
wearied, arrived in Allahabad. The heat had 
increased considerably during our stay in Be- 
nares, and traveling became more exhausting 
every day. 

Allahabad (City of God) is situated at the 
confluence of the Ganges, here one and a half 
miles in width, and the Jumna, three fourths of 
a mile in width. The fort, on the east and 
south, rises directly from the water, and is of 
great size and strength. The city extends along 
frhe Jumna to the west of the fort. 

Notwithstanding its advantageous position, it 
is an ill-built, wretched looking place. It has 
a population of about seventy thousand. The 
only building worthy of note is the Jumna 
Musjed. 

We crossed another long villainous bridge of 
boats, that creaked and swayed as if it greatly 



66 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

wished to let us through, passed some barracks, 
and then by dint of inquiry went through the 
city to the premises of the missionaries of the 
American Presbyterian Board. There we found 
Mr. and Mrs. Munnis, whose acquaintance we 
had formed in Calcutta. 

Mr. H. took the garee over to its owner, and 
received the promise of a " horse dak " to Agra, 
to be ready for us at Caugor, which was then 
the terminus of the strip of railway just got 
into operation from Allahabad. Messrs. Pierce 
and Parry, with their families, went on the 
same day, as waiting only increased the danger. 

As for us^, we had no choice ; we must wait till 
Monday. So they went on weary as they were, 
but we remained and rested. "Without that rest 
I think I could not have lived to reach Meerut. 
The heat, dust, weariness, irregular meals, and 
constant uneasiness, had brought on a low nerv- 
ous fever, which reduced me greatly. Sunday 
I was better, although still suffering. 

We went in the evening to an English service 
in the mission chapel, at which Mr. H. preached. 
After the service we were introduced to several 
gentlemen of the civil service, who gave us 
some advice about our journey, and expressed 
much sympathy for us and interest in our 
mission. 

As we walked back to the mission house, we 
remarked the havoc made on the premises by 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 67 

the mutineers. The chapel was built so solidly 
that it could not easily be destroyed, but by 
dint of great labor some of the pillars had been 
dislodged. Mr. Munnis's former house had been 
burned, at least the roof had, but the defaced 
and blackened walls were still standing. 

When we arrived at the mission house, which 
was formerly occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Owen, 
we went to look at a great heap of broken fur- 
niture, demolished ware, etc., in fact the debris 
of Mr. Owen's once comfortable home. It was 
a gloomy sight ; here a valuable book, now 
blackened and torn, there fragments of china 
and glass, and even part of the key-board of 
Mrs. Owen's piano, came to view. 

Monday morning Mr. Munnis drove us down 
to the starting point of the cars, for as yet 
there was no station-house, but through a mis- 
take we arrived just in time to see the train 
move off, so slowly, however, that if we had 
chosen we could have got on board without our 
baggage, which of course we did not choose to 
do. So we returned to the mission house, and 
improved the day in learning something of mis- 
sionary work, and in listening to an account of 
the mutiny at that place. One incident occa- 
sioned us some amusement. 

An engine stood alone on the railway, and 
the sepoys wishing to demolish it as something 
essentially feringhee in its character, yet being 



68 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

a little afraid of it as well, gathered some bricks 
and clubs, and commenced pelting the luckless 
engine with right good will. But conceive their 
alarm when it fairly began to move ! They 
ran away, shouting, " Wuh Shaitan hai," (it is 
Satan.) 

The engine, which only moved from the im- 
petus their assault gave it, remained stationary 
thereafter, but they dared not touch it, and it 
was found uninjured when the English troops 
arrived. 

Tuesday morning we were in time for the 
train, and did as we had been told, that is, took 
possession of some seats, saying "nothing to 
nobody." 

Do you ask why we did not buy tickets like 
honest people ? For this reason : the conductor 
had no right to sell us tickets, as none but peo- 
ple in government employ are allowed to go up 
the country further than Benares at present. 
The conductor, however, seemed to understand 
that we were to be smuggled up the country, 
and did not question us. 

"We found our horse and garee ready for us 
at Cangor. The coachwan (as the natives have 
corrupted it) went up with us on the train, so 
having placed our baggage aboard, we were 
soon rattling again over the Grand Trunk Road. 

This was our first experience of a horse dak, 
ind we did not find it particularly pleasant. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 69 

The horses were exceedingly fractious, and no 
wonder, for they were jaded and bruised in a 
manner painful to behold. Upon first starting 
out they would balk and kick, back and rear, in 
the most frantic manner. The coachman and 
groom would first coax the animal, saying, " O, 
my brother, my brother, go forward ; " but when 
moral suasion failed, (as it always did, I am 
sorry to say,) they would drag the wheels on to 
the horse's heels, then apply the whip with loud 
cries, until the poor creature, maddened with 
pain, would leap forward and run the whole 
stage, a distance of six miles. Then the same 
programme would be gone through with by the 
next horse. 

We reached Cawnpore at two o'clock "Wed- 
nesday morning, and told the coachman to take 
us to a hotel. We had eaten nothing but dry 
biscuits and sandwiches since Tuesday morning, 
and began very strongly to desire that delight- 
ful beverage " that cheers, but not inebriates." 
We were taken to a hotel kept by a native, and 
a bearer, with a most repulsive face, brought 
lights and showed us a room. The khansamah 
was called, and we ordered tea and toast. 
Meanwhile we relieved ourselves of the dust 
somewhat, and walked about. At four o'clock 
we again set forth. 

I shall never forget the long, dreadful day 
that followed. The heat was intense. The 



70 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

roads were dusty, and crowded witli bullock-carts 
piled up with cotton, military stores, etc., and pe- 
destrians and every variety of native vehicle. 

Occasionally, too, we met parties of rough- 
looking natives armed with tulwars, that is, 
native swords, and old muskets. Whenever we 
saw them coming we drew the garee doors 
closely together, and kept perfectly quiet. 

Near evening we came to Mynpoorie, where 
we stopped and procured some refreshments, 
although it was a most dangerous locality ; but 
we felt as if we should perish without. Again 
on and on through the long weary night. We 
expected to reach Agra early in the morning, 
but it seemed as if the horses had combined to 
prevent our doing so. The whole programme 
of kicking, plunging, etc., with variations, was 
gone through with by each horse in succession. 

About mid-day, however, we approached the 
long, wretched bridge of boats which spans the 
Jumna. Mr. Butler was to meet us in Agra, 
and had directed us to a palace called the Taj 
Mahal, and its dazzling dome and minarets soon 
blessed, our vision. There we found not only 
our superintendent, but Mr. and Mrs. Pierce also. 

Some well-furnished rooms in a building to 
the right of the Taj, called the Juwab, had been 
kindly vacated for us by the Rev. Mr. Evans 
and lady, who had meanwhile gone to stay with 
some friends in the fort. They left their serv- 



SIX YEARS m INDIA. 71 

ants and a nice dinner cooking for us. How 
we ate, rested, and refreshed ourselves generally 
I leave to your imagination. But I cannot for- 
bear an attempt to describe that surpassingly 
lovely spot to you. 

On the bank of the Jumna, just outside the 
city, and about a mile east from the fort, stands 
the " Taj Mahal," or crown palace, built by 
Shah Jahan, a celebrated Mogul king, who 
flourished about two centuries ago, for his 
beautiful queen Mumtaz Mahal, that is, the 
chosen of the palace. She was first buried in 
it, and afterward the king by her side. The 
building stands on an elevated platform, paved 
with marble laid in forms and smoothly joined. 
It is surrounded by a handsome balustrade, and 
there are two large marble basins for fountains ; 
but they were not playing when we were there. 
There is a dome of purest white marble rising 
from the center of the palace, beneath which is 
the principal room containing the tombs. The 
floor of this room is of white marble, as are also 
the walls and the tombs; but all, except the 
floor, is closely inlaid with precious stones in 
vines and flowers. I counted in one small 
flower on one of the tombs twenty-seven differ- 
ently colored stones. 

You cannot imagine the singular beauty and 
brilliancy of this room. Words seem poor and 
tame when I attempt to describe it. At the 



72 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

entrance there is an arch, over and around 
which is also the inlaid work in precious stones. 
Besides every imaginable device and flower, it 
is stated that the whole of the Koran is thus 
inlaid upon those walls. 

There are minarets at the outer angles of 
the walls, and many other ornaments that I 
need not describe. The dome, the room be- 
neath it, and the entrance are the main objects 
of interest. 

In the evening after our arrival Messrs. Scott 
and Williams, of the American Presbyterian 
Mission, came over from the fort, where the 
European residents still remain. They sug- 
gested that we all should go into the central 
room of the Taj and have an illumination, so 
we went over and ranged ourselves around the 
room. There are niches in the walls, in which 
were placed some wax candles. These were 
lighted simultaneously by native attendants, 
and the answering blaze of light from the walls 
and tombs was magnificent. 

After we had admired the effect sufficiently 
we gathered around the tombs of the Mogul 
king and queen and sang the doxology. What 
would they not have done in the days of their 
power to one who dared to praise " Father, Son, 
and Holy Ghost " in their august presence ? 

To the left of the Taj stands a beautiful 
mosque, built of the red sandstone which is so 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 73 

much used in Agra. The building we occupied 
was built on the right of the Taj merely to pre- 
serve the symmetry of the whole, hence its 
name — the Juwab, or answer. The grounds are 
laid out with great care and skill, and present a 
great variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers. 

Friday we all went over to the fort and ex- 
amined the small space which the European 
residents of Agra fled to, and in which they 
remained during the fearfully hot and rainy 
seasons of 1857. It seems marvelous that 
no pestilence broke out among them. There 
was great suffering indeed, but it was in con- 
sequence of the lack of those conveniences and 
comforts which in this climate are necessities to 
Europeans. 

There are some beautiful structures within 
the fort : the palace of Shah Jahan, his hall of 
audience, the Motee Musjid, or pearl mosque, 
and others. I was not able to visit these build- 
ings, but the rest of our party did so, and re- 
turned in raptures. 

Agra was formerly a large city. The old 
walls still remain, and extend along the Jumna 
about four miles in length, with a breadth of 
about three miles ; but not even half of this 
space is occupied at present. 

Toward evening our garees came to the gate- 
way, and we again delivered ourselves over to 
the tender mercies of the coachwan and the 



74 SIX YEAES IN INDIA, 

redoubtable horseflesh of the Northwest Dak 
Company. "We went forth without fear of Se- 
poys, however, for we had flanked the enemy, 
and emerged into comparative safety. The 
horses, too, seemed to feel better disposed 
toward us, and we went on without hinderance. 

At early dawn we were roused from our 
slumbers by a confused mingling of shoutings, 
groanings of camels, neighing of horses, etc. 
One of our number seized his pistol before 
opening the door of his carriage, thinking it 
possible that the Sepoys had found us after all. 
He opened the door carefully, holding the re- 
volver in advance, and confronted a twenty-four 
pounder drawn by a couple of huge elephants. 

We soon discovered the cause of so much 
tumult. "We were in the midst of General 
Penny's division, marching in to assist in 
the reoccupation of Rohilcund. We certainly 
wished him success, and that right speedily. 
After a fatiguing and monotonous day's journey 
we reached Mr. Butler's temporary residence in 
Meerut about eight o'clock P. M. 

We are to remain here two or three weeks 
until the direct road through Rohilcund to 
iNynee Tal shall be open, and I seize this, the 
first leisure I have had since we left Benares, to 
write to the dear ones at home, who are, I know, 
anxiously waiting to hear of our welfare. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 75 



LETTEK VI. 

Departure from Meerut — Saharunpore — Deyrah Doon — Raj- 
pore — Himalayas — Hill Vehicle — Hill Journey — April 
Fools — Acquisitions — Snowy Range — Rope Bridge — 
Teeree — Visit at the Rajah's Court — Scenery — Arrived at 
Nynee Tal. 

Ntnee Tal, Mam 12, 1858. 

My Dear Mother, — ¥e concluded not to wait 
for the direct road to Nynee Tal to be opened, 
but determined instead to take a circuitous 
route by way of Saharunpore, Deyrah Doon, 
and Mussoorie, thence over the Sub-Himalayas, 
sixteen days' journey to Nynee Tal. 

We left Meerut on the evening of the twenty- 
fourth of March. We journeyed by horse dak 
to Mozuffernugger, where we found a "kut- 
chah " road, and were consequently obliged to 
travel in doolies the remainder of our journey 
to Deyrah Doon. A dooly is a substitute for a 
palkee. It is a frame covered with cloth instead 
of wood, which renders it much lighter than a 
palkee. 

Our dust-covered doolies stopped at the prem- 
ises of the American Presbyterian Missionaries 
in Saharunpore about mid-day of the twenty- 
fifth. We received a hearty welcome from 



76 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

"Rev. Dr. Campbell, a veteran missionary, and 
Mr. and Mrs. Calderwood. The latter have 
been in the country only about three years. 
Dr. Campbell's wife and children are on a visit 
to America. 

We left Saharunpore at sunset, traveled all 
night, and at dawn crossed the Sewalik range 
of hills by a narrow, rocky defile, and emerged 
upon a level plateau called the Doon, or valley, 
a thousand feet higher than Saharunpore. 

As the sun rose the high towering Himalayas 
were disclosed to our view, rising abruptly far 
up into the sky. They were truly magnificent, 
and there was something peculiarly pleasing in 
the contrast between their fresh green appear- 
ance and the dusty, parched plain. 

We arrived at Deyrah Doon about mid-day, 
and found comfortable rooms ready for us at 
Mr. Williams's hotel. Mrs. Pierce and her 
babe (which was quite ill at Meerut) were both 
suffering from the fatigue of the journey, and 
Mr. H. and myself were both so ill that we were 
obliged to call a physician. It was therefore 
thought best to remain a few days and recruit 
our failing strength. 

Those of our party who were able to go out 
attended service at the house of the American 
Presbyterian Missionaries on the Sabbath. The 
next day Mr. and Mrs. Woodside of that mission 
called and invited us to spend the day with 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 77 

them. As we were all improved in health we 
accepted the invitation, and spent a delightful 
day at the Mission-house. They have a fine 
site, and a commodious double house, occupied 
by two families — Mr. and Mrs. Woodside, and 
Mr. and Mrs. Herron. 

Tuesday we drove up to Rajpore, a distance 
of six miles. It is merely a cluster of buildings 
quite at the foot of. the mountains, the property 
of Mr. Haseltine. He was formerly a sergeant 
in the English army, and was in the expedition 
to Burmah at the time of the imprisonment of 
Judson and others, and saw those missionaries 
and the heroic Mrs. Judson after their release. 
His hotel is much frequented by people on their 
way to the hills, as just above it on the mount- 
ain slopes are the Sanitaria, Landour, and 
Mussoorie. 

We had a busy time at Eajpore engaging 
hill men and hill vehicles to transport us to !N"y- 
nee Tal. The former are shorter and hardier 
in their appearance than the people of the plains ; 
the latter, called jhaumpauns, are very comforta- 
ble, and admirably adapted to hill traveling. A 
jhaumpaun is a chair with cane seat and back, 
and a platform with a railing round it for the 
feet. On either side are long poles fastened on 
with iron hooks. Straps of strong leather con- 
nect these poles near their ends, and in the mid- 
dle of these straps a strong piece of wood, flat 



78 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

and about two feet in length, is securely fasten- 
ed. Two men in front and two behind the 
chair stand either side of the cross pieces of 
leather, and each places one end of the flat stick 
on his shoulder. Their hands are left free to 
hold on to the poles, and thus they carry the 
vehicle. Four men more are always required 
on a long journey, in order to relieve the others. 
There is a top with curtains over the chair. 

There were some dandas along, too, for some 
of the women servants. A danda is composed 
of a piece of strong cloth about two yards in 
length, fastened at either end to a strong pole. 
The cloth is gathered into a small compass and 
bound with leather, and fastened with rings of 
iron at either end of the pole. In the center of 
one side of the cloth another piece is sewed on 
endwise. On the opposite end of this piece is a 
strap, which also is fastened to either end of the 
pole. The person sits in the main piece of cloth, 
the smaller piece forming a place for the feet, 
and the straps being then buckled tightly, brings 
the cloth up as a covering to the feet and limbs. 
The pole comes front to the chest, and there are 
strong iron hooks in it, to which one may cling 
when the path is more perpendicular than pleas- 
ant. There is another broad strap which sup- 
ports the back. It has a swinging motion, not 
very pleasant at first, but to which one soon be- 
comes accustomed. It is safer than a jhaum- 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA, 79 

paun, and is carried by two men, with two for 
relief. 

We were quite a cavalcade when we left Kaj- 
pore the last day of March. First went fifty or 
sixty men with baggage, that is, tents, cooking 
ntensils, boxes of provisions, etc. Next the 
three " sahibs " on hill ponies, then the three 
jhanmpanns containing the " mem sahibs," and 
lastly the ayahs, or native woman servants. 

Joel, onr native preacher, was with ns. He 
had a marvelous escape in the mutiny. He 
and his wife fled from Bareilly to Lucknow, and 
finding the mutiny had spread there also, they 
made their way as best they could to Allahabad. 
They were stopped several times and questioned. 
Joel was asked, "Are you a Mussulman or a 
Hindoo ? You do not look like either." He 
invariably answered, " I am neither a Hindoo 
nor Mussulman, I am a Christian." Strange to 
say, they were not molested, but arrived safely 
in Allahabad and gained the fort. 

Joel left his family in Allahabad and joined 
us in Meerut. He is a noble man, tall, and of 
pleasing person and manners. He is a good 
representative of Hindoostanee Christians. May 
there soon be many like him ! 

I have not mentioned the acquisitions we 
made at Deyrah-Doon. We found a native 
Christian woman there in distress. She was a 
faithful ayah or nurse in a gentleman's family, 



80 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

but her husband was intemperate and had in a 
fit of intoxication beaten her, and consequently- 
had been forbidden the premises. The mis- 
tress of the poor woman allowed her to leave, 
that she might go with her husband, who will, 
we hope, "turn over a new leaf" in our mission. 
Samuel and Bella had been baptized by a 
missionary of the English Church, but it is 
doubtful if they understand much of Christian- 
ity. We hope they may be led to understand, 
and be made partakers of its spirit. 

Imagine us winding up the narrow mountain 
paths, with the steep hill on one side, and the 
dark ravine on the other. The scenery was 
grand, magnificent, the grandeur and magnifi- 
cence of nature lifting the thoughts of the Chris- 
tian beholder directly up to the great Creator. 
Man had no part in piling those lofty summits 
and clothing them with beauty ; it was the work 
of God! 

We passed through the single street or bazar 
of Landour about mid-day, and admired the 
pleasant houses situated on the adjacent slopes. 
We had left the place well in our rear, when our 
coolies halted and requested us to have our tents 
pitched in a fine situation which they pointed 
out. True, it was not yet night, but they had 
not purchased sufficient flour, etc., to meet their 
wants until they could be able to procure 
more. 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 81 

Their story, however, was not credited, and 
they were bade to go on. Our tents were pitched 
at last in a most exposed situation on the brow of 
a mountain. In the night the winds blew terrif- 
fically, and threatened to carry off our tents; 
but by dint of great care they were kept in their 
places. 

April 1st dawned cold and rainy, and we 
arose to find ourselves as precious a set of 
April fools as need be. Not a coolie could 
be found! all had gone quietly back to Lan- 
dour to purchase their provisions, and we 
could do nothing but await their return with 
what patience we might. It was a dismal 
day, followed by a most wretched night. The 
next morning the coolies were in readiness to 
attend us, and when reprimanded for leaving 
the day previous only laughed, and said, " You 
could not expect us to carry you and your goods 
if we had nothing to eat." Ah ! I can never 
forget the discomforts of that terrible journey. 
We became accustomed to the rugged heights 
and deep valleys ; to climbing the one and being 
suspended over the other ; to cold chilling winds 
on the one, and steamy, stifling heat in the 
other. We became familiar with early break- 
fasts, cold luncheon at mid-day, and dinner at 
nine o'clock P. M. 

Now that I have given you a passing glimpse 
of the shady side of our journey, I must try and 
6 



82 SIX YEARS W INDIA. 

show you the sunny side as well. We certainly 
had some magnificent views, and none were 
more so than those of the snowy ranges of the 
Himalayas. 

The average elevation of the Himalayas is from 
eighteen to twenty thousand feet above the sea 
level. The limit of perpetual snow on the south- 
ern slopes is from fifteen to eighteen thousand 
feet. Some of the highest peaks are from twenty- 
five to twenty-eight thousand feet above the level 
of the sea. The white glistening glaciers seemed 
to lose themselves in the heavens, and could at 
times be distinguished from the clouds only by 
their superior brilliancy. Sometimes the clouds 
concealed them wholly from our view, then, part- 
ing suddenly, disclosed an apparent city of glit- 
tering pinnacles and towers of dazzling white- 
ness. I was often reminded of Revelation 
xxi, 10 : " And he carried me away in the spirit 
to a great and high mountain, and showed me 
that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending 
out of heaven from God." 

The first Sabbath was a welcome day, and we 
all improved it by resting. Toward evening we 
met in the largest tent and held a class and 
prayer meeting. 

The succeeding week we entered the little 
native kingdom of Teeree, and crossed the 
stream, that flowed through a deep gorge near 
the capital, on a rope bridge. We found some 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 83 

European gentlemen measuring the distance 
across the stream, and making plans for a sus- 
pension bridge, so -we presumed the ropes 
had not been very recently renewed. 

We went over on this wise. A man went 
ahead to open the bridge, which had railings of 
woven ropes, floor ditto, interlaced with sticks. 
One at a time we were carried over in a danda, 
the bridge closing behind us. When in the cen- 
ter, the swaying motion was extremely unpleas- 
ant ; but the hill men did not seem to mind it 
at all. They almost ran back each time with 
the empty danda, but they were very careful 
with us. 

Having safely crossed, we turned from the 
road to the left, and passing through the little 
village, pitched our tents on the bank of the 
river, which at that point forms a bow. Close 
by our tents stood a large hollow tree. Fifteen 
men could stand in the cavity at once. Our 
servants used it for a storeroom for our boxes of 
provisions, kettles, etc. Soon after our arrival 
there came a deputation from the Rajah of Tee- 
ree to present a nuzzer, (gift,) according to east- 
ern custom. It consisted of a large number of 
rupees, some sugar, rice, and a large goat. We 
only retained the goat, which was at once slain, 
and distributed among our servants. We touched 
the money and the other articles with the tips of 
our fingers, to signify that we accepted the cour- 



84 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

tesy of the rajah, and they were taken back. 
Joel was of course our interpreter and master 
of ceremonies upon this occasion. Afterward 
the gentlemen and Joel went up to a little round 
open pavilion on the brow of a hill near us, and 
paid their respects to the rajah. There was 
considerable attempt at display on his part, in 
a ludicrously impoverished and barbaric style. 
Little bells were rung, speeches were made, 
questions asked and answered, and profound 
salams made upon parting. 

We went on our way next morning and met 
new objects of interest as we proceeded. The 
mountain slopes were more generally cultivated 
than at first, and were occasionally dotted with 
small villages. The houses were built of stone, 
roofed with saplings, over which thin flat stones 
were put on in layers, the edges overlapping 
like shingles. 

Men, women, and children often ran out to 
look at us. Their clothing looked warm, but 
was very dirty, and their tangled and matted 
hair hung loosely about their necks. I noticed, 
however, that their features were very good, 
and their forms strong and well developed. 

The chrysanthemum and cactus that we 
cherish so carefully in America grow wild on 
these hills, and in great profusion. The cactus 
grows to a mammoth size, forming awkward- 
looking shrubs and trees. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 85 

But the rhododendron bears the palm among 
the trees of the mountains. It is large, and 
rather ungraceful in shape, with its trunk and 
branches generally covered with silvery moss. 
The foliage is of a rich dark green, and very 
luxuriant. The rhododendrons were now in 
blossom, and the flowers were splendid. They 
are more like the peony than any other flower 
I can think of. 

We expected to be obliged to cross the 
Ganges at Seereenugger on another rope 
bridge, but found to our great delight that 
an iron suspension bridge had just been com- 
pleted there. As we passed over the beauti- 
ful structure we called Teeree to mind, and 
felt most sensibly our indebtedness to civili- 
zation. 

Another Sabbath of quiet rest and worship, 
another week of toilsome journeyings. We 
often found the road quite swept away by 
the rains of the preceding year, since which 
the usual repairs had not been made, and 
we were several times obliged to leave the 
main road and go by the "pug dundees," or 
by-paths. 

Saturday evening came, and we were still 
some distance from Nynee Tal. The darkness 
increased, and the men who carried the jhaum- 
pauns were in great trepidation lest by some 
misstep they should precipitate the mem sahibs 



86 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

into the yawning depths. I leave you to imag- 
ine the frame of mind enjoyed by the mem 
sahibs themselves. The gentlemen, foot-sore 
and weary, clambered along on the edge of the 
road and steadied the jhaumpanns. The ponies 
had long since given ont, and were either left 
behind or were scarcely able to drag themselves 
along. The darkness increased, and the coolies 
attempted to improvise torches, but did not 
succeed. 

Finally, after several " hair-breadth escapes," 
we gained the top of the mountain, and looked 
over into a valley that just then seemed to us 
the most desirable spot on earth. From various 
points lights were gleaming in the windows of 
white cottages, now dusky in the overshadowing 
forests, and far down below we could discern 
the still waters of Nynee Tal. 

We were met by Mr. Parsons, a member of 
our mission, whom we had not previously seen. 
He came to us from a mission of the Church of 
England in this country. We remained at his 
house that night. Mr. Pierce and family went 
home with Mr. Butler, whose two little boys 
had been left in the hills when they went down 
to Meerut, so that they had a home in readiness 
to receive them. 

The next day was the first Sabbath which 
we spent within the limits of our mission 
field, and as we looked back and reviewed 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 87 

the anxieties, troubles, and dangers of the 
previous six months, our hearts were filled 
with gratitude to Him who had delivered us 
out of them all. 

In the evening we attended an English service 
in Mr. Butler's parlor. The room was filled 
mostly with ladies. There were only two or 
three gentlemen present, besides those of our 
own party, as the officers who took refuge here 
last year have rejoined the army. Mr. Butler 
had rented houses for us, and we immediately 
addressed ourselves to the task of setting them 
in order. They were furnished, and the floors 
were covered with the thin cotton carpeting 
manufactured in the North-west. 

We found it a difficult task to procure suit- 
able servants, and teach them to perform their 
duties, for there are no trained servants here, as 
in Calcutta. We are obliged to keep four men 
as jhaumpanees, that is, men to carry me in 
the jhaumpaun, or danda, as I cannot walk 
.very far up hill, and we cannot go out to 
walk without having a hill to climb. They 
also fetch our wood and water, and grass for 
the pony. 

I will not attempt to tell you anything more 
of Nynee Tal at present, except to say that it is 
a delightful little eyrie-like place, but will wait 
till I shall have seen more of it. 

Rohilcund has been retaken, the principal 



88 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

cities occupied by English troops, and the 
postal and transportation arrangements re- 
organized. 

We heard yesterday that our boxes have all 
safely arrived at Kaleedoongee, at the foot of 
the hills, so we shall soon have a busy time in 
unpacking. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 91 



LETTEE YIL 

Nynee Tal — Nynee Davee — Mount Chenar — Daily Routine 

— Girls' School — Boys' School — Mrs. Parsons — Blunders 

— Orphan Boys. 

Nynee Tal, June 15, 1858. 

My dear Mother,— Nynee Tal is a little un- 
dulated valley completely encircled by mount- 
ains, itself six thousand five hundred feet above 
the level of the sea. The mountains around it 
rise two thousand feet higher. The little lake 
which gives the place its name occupies the 
lower part of the valley, and is only three 
fourths of a mile in length, and scarcely half a 
mile in width. The higher part of the valley is 
occupied by the native bazar, beyond which 
it extends but a short distance, and ends in a 
low hill, on the top of which stands "St. John's 
in the wilderness," the picturesque English 
church. 

There is just room sufficient for a road eight 
or ten feet wide around the lake, part of which 
was made by excavating the hill-slopes. - 

All around on the mountain sides are tasteful 
white cottages, built of wood and stone, and 
much more resembling our dwellings at home 
than the houses on the plains. 



92 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

At the head of the lake, embowered in large 
willows, stands a tiny Hindoo temple, dedicated 
to the worship of a goddess whom they call 
Nynee Davee. She is represented as the wife 
of Sheev, or Mahesh the destroyer, the third 
person in the Hindoo triad. Nynee simply 
means little. She, or rather it, is a little in- 
ferior figure, about ten inches in height, clothed 
with a woman's dress, the figure and dress both 
being carved out of stone. "We went to see it" 
one day. A well-to-do-looking priest met us at 
the doors of the temple, and when we asked 
permission to see the idol replied in the affirm- 
ative with profound salams. I could not for- 
bear saying to him, "Will you please ask the 
idol to come to the door ? " 

The Brahmin only laughed ; but upon my 
repeating the question he said, " She cannot 
walk to the door." 

" Not walk to the door ! " I repeated. " Can 
she walk at all?" 

" "No, mem sahib," said he with a conscious 
leer. 

" She is not a very powerful being I should 
think," said I, " and I think it is great nonsense 
to worship any being who is weaker than we 
are." 

He only laughed as before, and we went in 
and saw the idol in its place of honor. Wor- 
ship had just concluded, I suppose, as the little 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 93 

figure had a yellow skirt tied on over its stone 
dress, and its head was wet, as if water had just 
been poured over it. There were some remains 
of rice and flowers lying in front of her, probably 
part of the morning offerings. 

To the right of the temple the road leads 
through the bazar, and on past several cottages 
till it terminates by the church. There are 
smooth, hard roads winding about the beautiful 
mountains quite to their tops, and the loveliness 
that meets the eye at every point cannot be 
adequately described. 

The dells are rich in many varieties of fern 
and moss, interspersed with wild flowers, and 
the slopes are covered with trees— firs, oaks, 
maples, rhododendrons, and many others. Black 
and orange raspberries grow in some localities 
in profusion. 

Till the last of June the climate of the hills 
is delightful. We improved it this season in 
taking long walks and rides every morning, 
gaining in health and vigor daily in the clear, 
bracing atmosphere. 

Occasionally we all met at some appointed 
place and breakfasted together in the open air. 
We breakfasted one morning on the top of 
Chenar, the highest point near Eynee Tal. It 
is eight thousand seven hundred and fifty feet 
above the sea level. From the top we could 
look down on the far-reaching plains on the one 



94 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

hand, and up to the towering snow-mountains 
on the other. The first glaciers are about one 
hundred miles distant from JSTynee Tal by the 
mountain road, but much nearer in a straight 
line. 

As they are from fifteen to twenty thousand 
feet higher than Chenar, they seemed that 
morning to be within a day's journey. We 
remained wrapt in admiration, gazing upon the 
glittering domes and spires of an apparent city 
of light up there in the clouds, until the morning 
sun vailed its supernatural loveliness with a 
curtain of amber haze. Just then, too, our 
khansamah announced the fact that breakfast 
was ready, and although it seemed too magnifi- 
cent a spot to desecrate by the commonplace 
act of eating, yet as our appetites were keen 
after our long ride in the bracing morning air, 
when we found an inviting repast spread on a 
snowy cloth over the grassy table, we did not 
hesitate to do it full justice. 

On our way down we saw a few large ba- 
boons sitting on the lower branches of some 
trees, and gravely regarding us. "Whether 
they were considering how long it would be 
in the ordinary course of transmigration be- 
fore they could dwell in similar forms to 
ours, or wondering at our intrusion, I really 
cannot say. 

Another favorite place of resort is called the 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 95 

landslide. Part of a mountain seems to have 
slidden down through a deep chasm. On the 
bank overlooking this chasm the view is sub- 
lime; but we can only spend a little time in 
explorations, merely enough to insure ourselves 
needful recreation. 

The language still looms up before us as a 
great mountain that we have just begun to 
climb. 

We have not had an efficient moonshee since 
we came to Nynee Tal. Joel assists us all he 
can; but as he and Mr. Parsons are the only 
ones to carry on the boys' school, which was 
opened in May, and to preach to the natives, 
we do not like to call on him very much. This 
has been a great drawback to our progress, 
since, study as we may, we cannot be sure that 
we are always pronouncing the words of our 
lesson right. 

Now shall I give you an account of our daily 
routine ? We rise at half past five, and as soon 
as we are dressed have our chotahaziree, or 
little breakfast, which is composed of tea and 
toast. We then walk down to the foot of the 
lake, probably a mile from our door ; then Mr. 
H. on his hill pony, and I in my danda, climb 
some one of the hill paths, and make our way 
home about seven o'clock. We then have 
prayers, after which we study our Hindoo- 
stanee lessons until nine o'clock, when the cook 



96 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

comes to the study door and says, "Haziree 
taiyar hai ;" that is, Breakfast is ready. 

One table is supplied with good beef, mutton, 
fowls, vegetables, bread, milk, and butter. This 
last is peculiar to the hills. We can also gen- 
erally procure fruit. 

After breakfast I give out material for dinner 
from the storeroom, and directions how to have 
it prepared. This course is usually practiced 
here to prevent the cooks from using more than 
is needful ; but they frequently take revenge by 
tolling what is given them quite heavily, and 
sometimes they make a great mistake, and cook 
the toll for our dinner, while they keep the prin- 
cipal themselves. 

I always remonstrate when such a mistake is 
made, and the worthy Mohammedan says in re- 
ply, as he piously folds his hands, " Mem sahib, 
I am astonished you should think me capable of 
such baseness ! I, who eat your honor's salt ! " 
that is, who get my food by your honor's service. 
I then admonish him that if he does not keep 
to his salt and let superfluities alone I shall 
surely subtract the price of whatever is taken 
from his wages. After such a scene he generally 
walks warily for about ten days. 

After the giving out of dinner is completed 
1 join Mr. H. in the study, and we read our 
lessons and translate them till twelve, when I 
usually go to the girls' school, which is held in 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 97 

a room of Mr. Pierce's house. I suppose you 
may think we cannot teach native children 
much about their own language yet, but you are 
mistaken ; they often speak their own language 
very incorrectly, and scarcely ever know a sin- 
gle letter. 

There are fifteen girls in the school, the chil- 
dren of our own servants and those of European 
residents. Besides these there are several 
women, servants and wives of servants, who are 
learning to read. We teach them the Ten Com- 
mandments, the Lord's Prayer, and various 
hymns, by rote ; also explain to them portions 
of Scripture daily. Some of them learn to read 
Hindoostanee, others Roman-Urdu, or Hin- 
doostanee in the Roman character, and others 
Hindee. The last hour of school is devoted to 
sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc. 

We use the hymn book of the American 
Presbyterian Mission, which is in the Roman- 
Urdu, as are also the few copies of the New 
Testament which we have been able to procure. 
Of course there was wholesale destruction of 
Christian books during the mutiny, and now 
but few copies can be obtained, but there will 
soon be plenty of them again. 

I am obliged to give the children many whole- 
some admonitions to keep quiet and look on 
their books. A class sits around me in a half 
circle, and the little curious black eves are con- 
7 



98 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

tinually glancing at my feet, dress, hair, and 
eyes, anywhere in fact bnt on the book which I 
hold in my hand. I sometimes say to them, 
" Here in this book are the letters, not on my 
head, nor dress ; now observe this letter closely 
and see how it looks, what is it % " Their at- 
tention is thus gained for a few moments. I 
return home in time to dress for dinner, (a pro- 
ceeding doubly necessary after contact with the 
children,) which is served at three o'clock. 

After dinner we write letters, and study 
Forbes's grammar until near evening, when we 
again sally forth to " eat the air," as the Hin- 
doostanee phrase is. In the evening we fre- 
quently have religious services, either in Hin- 
doostanee or English, and sometimes meet for a 
social visit. Every Monday morning we meet 
and breakfast together, the missionaries first 
discussing matters supposed to be too deep for 
us ; but usually they bring up again at the break- 
fast table the questions they have discussed and 
settled. 

On the Sabbath we have Hindoostanee serv- 
ices in the morning, and an English sermon at 
five o'clock P. M. At the former Mr. Parsons 
and Joel alternate, and the other missionaries at 
the latter. The Hindoostanee services are held 
in a room which we have fitted up for that pur- 
pose, but which was formerly a sheep-house. 
Two services during the week are held at the 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 99 

barracks for the benefit of the invalid soldiers. 
Several among them are Christians, and others 
are seeking the Savionr. We have very inter- 
esting meetings with them. 

There are about twenty boys in attendance at 
the bazar school. There were many objections 
made by the boys' parents to prayers being held 
in the school. One man, more alarmed than the 
others, came to Mr. Parsons and said he should 
take his boy out if the Bible were read and 
prayer offered in the school any more. " Do 
you suppose," asked Mr. Parsons, " that we are 
such ungrateful people that we will commence 
our daily labor without thanking God for taking 
care of us, and asking his blessing upon our 
work. You Hindoos are very scrupulous about 
your daily worship, and do you think Christians 
should be less so ? " No, the man thought not, 
but the teachers might have their worship at 
home before coming to school. Mr. Parsons 
told him they did have family worship, but they 
considered it also their duty to have prayers in 
the school. The man went away dissatisfied, 
but did not withdraw his son. 

Mr. Parsons terrified a rather unruly boy one 
day by telling him that if he behaved so badly 
again he should " kill him outright." He meant 
to say he should beat him. 

We all make ludicrous mistakes at times. 
One told a bearer to fetch a "little girl," and 



100 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

put her on the fire! The servant stared in 
amazement, and the gentleman perceiving his 
error, called for a little " lukree," wood, instead 
of " lurkee," a girl. A lady told her servant 
to give her little daughter a small " basket " of 
chicken for dinner ! instead of a small " piece." 
She used the word tokra instead of tukra. 

Another told her cook to boil some goorgas 
(a class of warlike people) for dinner, meaning 
gajars, that is, carrots. So we must go on, blun- 
dering and rectifying blunders, until the thick 
darkness that envelops the language shall wear 
away. We begin already to see through the 
intricacies which have perplexed us so much, 
and with " sabar karo " (literally, make patience) 
for our motto, we hope to emerge into the light 
by and by. 

Mr. Parsons and Joel preach in the main 
street of ISTynee Yal and at the foot of the lake 
every week. They have many hearers, who 
listen with apparent eagerness and delight to the 
message of salvation ; but at this date only one 
has decided to break the chains of heathenism 
and become a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Meanwhile we hope the work of grace is 
going on in the hearts of the few native Chris- 
tians with us. Joel declares that he has recently 
experienced such a change in his heart, and 
obtained such light and joy in the Lord, as he 
never had before. Samuel and Bella are im- 



SIX YEARS IK INDIA. 101 

proving also, and seem to apprehend more fully 
the power of the Christian religion to pnrify the 
heart and life. 

We have three orphan boys in charge. The 
oldest, who is about twelve years of age, is 
from the plains. He is the son of a Sepoy 
who was slain in the mutiny. He was found 
wandering about a village by Captain Gowan, 
who took him in charge and made him over 
to Mr. Butler while he was in Meerut. Cap- 
tain Gowan is to support the boy so long as 
it shall be necessary. He is called James 
Gowan, after his benefactor. Such " loot," 
that is, plunder, is surely far preferable to 
the diamonds and cashmere shawls taken in 
Delhi. 

The other two boys are paharees, bright and 
keen as their own mountain air. They were 
original specimens of humanity when they were 
first brought to our mission by a poor leper 
woman. Their clothing consisted of a tattered 
black woolen blanket each, their long hair was 
thickly tangled, and they were, of course, cov- 
ered with vermin. They are considerably more 
civilized in appearance now. Their heads have 
been shaved, and comfortable though coarse 
garments provided for them. 

The elder boy is supported also by Captain 
G., and is named Thomas Gowan. The other 
is called William Wheeler. He is a remarkably 



102 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

bright-looking and sweet- voiced lad, and bids 
fair to be a great favorite. Bella has them all 
in charge, and assists them to cook their simple 
meals. 

It is full time for the rains to begin falling. 
Ominous lowering clouds hover about the 
mountain tops, in apparent readiness to dispense 
their favors, and we must soon exchange this 
bright sunshine and balmy air for fogs and 
showers. Ah! well, 

"Into each life some rain must fall, 
Some days must be dark and dreary." 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 103 



LETTEK YIIL 

Eainy Season — Laying Corner-stone of First Mission Chapel— 
Removal of two Families to Lucknow — Eurasian Moonshee 
and wife — Mr. H. begins to preach in Hindoostanee — A 
Laughable Mistake. 

Nynee Tal, Jan. 20, 1859. 

My Dear Mother, — The rain commenced fall- 
ing the last week in June, and spoiled our de- 
lightful home-like summer weather. It contin- 
ued for nearly three months with but little 
intermission, and we were in consequence 
obliged to stay within doors most of the time. 
Of course our health was affected by such 
close confinement. All of us, indeed, suffered 
more or less in the course of the season, and two 
or three of our number were quite seriously ill. 

We have, however, made considerable ad- 
vancement in our studies. We can read quite 
readily now in the Persi- Arabic character. There 
are thirty-five characters in all. Twenty-four of 
these have three forms — the initial, medial, and 
final. Three have but two forms, and eight do 
not change at all. 

We have also learned the Hindee alphabet, 
and commenced reading short stories in that 
language. As the verbs are like the Hindoo- 



104 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

stanee, of which it is the basis, I think we can 
learn it quite readily. The Urdu, or Hindoo- 
stanee, is made up from the Hindee, Arabic, and 
Persian languages, and makes, as was its design, 
a sort of universal language throughout a large 
part of India. 

During the season a subscription paper was 
circulated among the European residents of 
Nynee Tal, in order to procure means to build 
a chapel and school-house on a lot which had 
been secured for mission premises, and a suffi- 
cient sum having been realized to warrant us in 
commencing work, we all met one morning in 
the first week of October to lay the corner- 
stone of our first mission chapel. 

Major Kamsay, commissioner of this district, 
who takes a deep interest in our work and has 
subscribed liberally for it, laid the corner-stone, 
after which the masons prepared several stones, 
and each member of the mission laid one in the 
foundation. We then sang a hymn, prayer was 
offered, and we went away. The natives looked 
wonderingly on, and must have thought an un- 
usual building was to be erected. ¥e hope it 
may be a place to which many of them shall 
love to resort. 

Immediately after this incident Mr. Butler 
and Mr. Pierce, with their families, and Joel, 
removed to Lucknow, in the province of Oude» 
to commence a mission in that city. It was a 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 105 

long and trying journey for them all, but par- 
ticularly so for Mrs. Pierce, who had but just 
recovered from a severe illness. They arrived 
safely at Lucknow, and are now occupying a 
large building which was formerly the residence 
of a begum or native princess. It is called As- 
fee Kotee, and although built in native style, is 
quite comfortable. In November the house on 
our recently purchased mission premises in Ny- 
nee Tal was vacated, and we moved into it. It 
is a long low building, evidently intended for 
two families. In the center are two parlors 
exactly alike. The front of each room is cov- 
ered with glass put in sashes quite down to the 
floor. Either side of the parlors are two large 
and two small rooms. 

The house is very comfortable this winter, but 
I fear it will not be waterproof in the rainy 
season. It is known as " The Euin." We are 
told that it was built by contract, and when fin- 
ished was condemned. It certainly has not 
grown more substantial since. We occupy half 
the house, and the other part is occupied by Mr. 
Knowles and family, who have recently come 
up from Meerut and joined our mission. Mr. 
Knowles was in the English army, but has been 
led to devote his life to the missionary work. 

Our girls' school was given up in October, as 
most of the children left with their parents 
either for the plains or the teraee about that 



106 SIX YEAES m INDIA. 

time. The teraee is a belt of jungle or wild 
land at the foot of the mountains. 

Many of the paharees go down and cultivate 
fields in the teraee during the winter months, 
while their own mountain lands are covered 
with snow. On this account our boys' school 
is very small. Probably, when our mission here 
is firmly established, the school will be removed 
during the winter months to some point adjacent 
to the teraee. 

December 1st we had a fine snow-storm, 
which seemed quite home-like of course. The 
snow has not wholly disappeared from the 
mountains since, but we have bright pleasant 
weather. We have fireplaces in our rooms, and 
as wood is abundant we keep very comfortable. 
My health is greatly improved since the close 
of the rainy season. I walk a mile and a half 
often, and feel nearly as strong as ever. 

We have had an excellent moonshee for about 
two months, but he has just left us for govern- 
ment employ. He is a Eurasian, that is, of 
mixed descent. In 1857 he became a Mussul- 
man to save his life. He went to a place called 
Casseepore, in an independent native state, and 
while there he became very intimately acquaint- 
ed with a wealthy Mohammedan physician, who 
even admitted him to his house and allowed him 
to see his wife. She was his only wife, and re- 
markably intelligent and lovely. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 107 

After a while the physician suddenly died, and 
the wily Eurasian managed to appropriate both 
his widow and wealth. The latter, however, 
seems either to have been inconsiderable, or 
else has taken to itself wings and flown away, 
but the lady (for she is a lady) was here with 
her husband. She is a finished Urdu scholar, 
and a most efficient teacher. She has assisted 
me while here in the Hindoostanee, and in re- 
turn I have taught her to read in Roman-Ur- 
du. She wishes to become a Christian, and is 
a constant student of the Bible. I was deeply 
interested in her, and regretted that she was 
obliged to leave. She is altogether quite a dif- 
ferent specimen of womanhood from those I 
have hitherto met in India. She is no darker 
complexioned than many American ladies, and 
has the beautiful almond-shaped eye and soft 
dark hair which belong to Oriental countries. 
She is of medium height and good proportions, 
and moves with a singularly graceful air. I 
suppose she is a type of those ladies who are so 
closely secluded from observation by the high 
walls which form so prominent a part of every 
Mohammedan gentleman's residence. 

A few days after they left us we received a 
letter which explained the reason why he had 
felt so ill at ease in our mission. The letter 
was from one of the missionaries at Deyrah 
Doon, and informed us that Thomas Orr (for 



108 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

that was his name) had rather an aged wife in 
that place ! He had left her wholly without 
means, judging rightly that the missionaries 
would not allow her to suffer ; but since he was 
in our employ they desired a portion of his sal- 
ary to be forwarded regularly for her support. 

Mr. Humphrey has been preaching in Hin- 
doostanee occasionally for some time; on a very 
small scale, he says, but still it is a beginning. 
I hope by spring, when we expect to open a 
mission in Bareilly, he will be able to preach 
without much embarrassment. Experienced mis- 
sionaries tell us, however, that we cannot be- 
come proficient in the language in less than four 
years. 

On the first week of January Mr. Parsons 
moved down to Moradabad, and as he could not 
obtain a house, is living in tents. We are to 
join him there soon, and remain until a house 
can be obtained in Bareilly. 

Ladies are still prohibited residing in Rohil- 
cund ; but it is expected that the prohibition will 
soon be removed, as it is quite safe to live in any 
station in the province. 

It is indeed wonderful with what rapidity the 
country becomes quiet. No sooner are English 
troops in possession of a city, and the rebel Se- 
poys dispersed or imprisoned, than law and order 
resume their wonted course throughout the entire 
district. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. Ill 

There is some dismay on the part of our 
servants, as they do not like to go to the plains, 
they are so afraid of the heat, nor do they like 
to lose their situations. 

Nundoo, a strict Hindoo, who came to us as 
jhaumpaunee, has risen to the post of house 
bearer, and as his wages are increased a little 
thereby he does not like to fall from the height 
to which he has attained. I had a vast deal of 
trouble in teaching him to dust furniture, trim 
the lamps, etc., for which he seems very grate- 
ful. He tells us often we are his ma-bap, that 
is, parents. Ma-bap is a title often bestowed by 
natives on Europeans who are kind to them or 
whom they wish to propitiate: 

Nun do being wholly unaccustomed to Euro- 
pean houses, sometimes makes egregious mis- 
takes about the nature of things. He places 
the books back on the shelves, after dusting 
them, wrong side up with care ; and after he has 
arranged the beds, the flowers on the counter- 
pane all point gracefully toward the foot ! 

When we moved into this house he managed 
everything very well, but after some days I 
recollected that a china spittoon was missing. 
It had never been used, and as it generally stood 
on the window-sill in my dressing room, ~Nutl- 
doo supposed it to be a rare sort of vase, so he 
had placed it carefully in my bonnet-box, under 
my best bonnet ! When I made inquiry, and 



112 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

lie gravely disclosed its safe lodging place, he 
was greeted by a burst of laughter that greatly 
embarrassed him. He looked at us in surprise, 
which was not diminished when we informed 
him of the designed use of the article. 

We have another orphan boy, whom we obtained 
in a singular manner. A gentleman was riding 
leisurely along by the lake one day, when he 
heard some unusual noises, as of crying or 
groaning. They seemed to proceed from under 
the road, so he called his sais, or groom, to see 
if there were a channel under the road, as there 
often is for the rills that run down the mountain 
sides to reach the lake without flooding the 
road. He found a channel, and in it a little 
boy bent almost double. He pulled him out 
and tried to ascertain who he was, and how he 
came there ; but the child did not utter a word, 
and seemed paralyzed with fright. The gentle- 
man brought him to us, and we handed him 
over to Bella's kind care. For two weeks he 
remained speechless, although he often seemed 
to wish to speak. Meanwhile we ascertained 
that he was an orphan, with no friend who cared 
to claim him, and that his name was Gulab 
Sing, a very common Hindoo name. He had 
been living with a married sister who treated 
him harshly, and it was through fear of her that 
he took refuge in the channel. 

Soon as it became evident that he would re- 



SIX YEAKS m INDIA. 113 

main with us, I made him some new clothes. 
Till then he had worn some old clothing of the 
other boys. When he first saw his new suit he 
spoke right out, " These are mine," and since 
that time he answers whenever spoken to, but 
rarely speaks of his own accord. 

On Christmas day we thought we would like 
to attend the communion, service at the English 
Church, but were refused permission to do so 
by Mr. Hinde, the present chaplain. Is it not 
astonishing that such bigotry still exists in the 
Christian Church ? 

Before this letter shall reach you we expect 
to be settled in Bareilly. You shall be duly 
informed of our progress in the work, and of all 
incidents of sufficient interest to write, if my 
health continues good. 

8 



114 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 



LETTER IX. 

Journey to Moradabad — Garden — Bazar Preaching — Call from 
the Sikhs — Yisit at their Yillages — Mission House pro tern. — 
Mr. H. goes to Bareilly — Removal there — Servants — Cash- 
mere Kotee — Native Assistants — Hindoo Festivals. 

Bareilly, April 10, 1859. 

My Dear Mother, — We left Nynee Tal Jan- 
uary 25th, and reached Moradabad the next 
morning. We found the distance from JNynee 
Tal to Kaleedoongee, at the foot of the hills, 
to be fourteen miles of romantic mountain 
scenery. 

We stopped at the little dak bungalow at Ka- 
leedoongee for an hour or two, and then arranged 
our palkees for the night journey. Mine was a 
comfortable hired palkee, but Mr. Humphrey's 
arrangements in that line were rather unusual. 
He took a light bedstead, (our only one,) which 
was innocent of posts, merely having four feet 
and frame covered with wide cotton tape woven 
like basket work, placed it on the ground in an 
inverted position, bound four strips of wood to 
the four feet and fastened them together, form- 
ing a gable at each end. A strong pole was 
then fastened across to the top of each gable, 
and the ends left projecting like the handles of 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 115 

a palkee. Over this frame my album quilt was 
placed, and being duly sewed together at the 
ends, with the exception of a small opening for 
ingress and egress, formed a miniature movable 
tent. Altogether it looked so comical that we 
fairly astonished the misty jungles with our peals 
of laughter, and their leafy labyrinths rang again 
with the echoes. 

We found our kahars all present at each sta- 
tion, and so went on right merrily. As night 
waned toward the small hours, my kahars ran 
so far ahead with me that my husband's crazy 
vehicle was wholly lost sight of. I knew nothing 
of it, however, until my palkee stopped suddenly, 
and I heard voices in altercation. 

" "We have a mem sahib inside," were the first 
words I distinguished. 

" No you haven't," said several voices at once, 
" a mem sahib wouldn't be traveling alone now- 
adays." 

" She is not," replied my men ; " the sahib 
himself is only a little way behind." 

" Well," said the others, " you can't go on 
until he comes." 

My kahars were loth to wait, as they were 
anxious to arrive at the end of the stage, and 
have a good smoke together before the other's 
arrival, so they sent one of their number to con- 
fer with me. He came to the palkee door and 
said, " Mem sahib, will your honor please to look 



116 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

out and let the soldiers see that you are really an 
English mem sahib % " 

I confess I was a little startled, for I could not 
hear the name " sepoy " without a shudder. I 
slid back the door, however, and inquired boldly 
of the kahars if the sahib were near. They 
answered, "Eot far off." 

Just then a band of armed native soldiers 
pressed up to my palkee, and looked sharply 
at me. 

I said to them, " Why have you stopped my 
palkee ? " 

One of the soldiers, who seemed the leader, 
stepped forward and replied that they were sol- 
diers of the Nawab of Rampore, and were 
watching for Nana Sahib, who was supposed to 
be about making an attempt to escape to the 
interior by way of the nawab's territories, on 
the borders of which we then were. I was 
quite reassured at this, and waited very patiently 
till Mr. H. came up, when we were allowed to 
go on. 

By and by we came to a river, and were taken 
through it by the kahars lifting the palkees on 
their shoulders high and dry. I supposed our 
trials for the night were all over, and was com- 
posing myself to sleep when I heard again the 
low plash of water. The men seemed to go in 
deeper and deeper, so I sat up and opened the 
doors. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 117 

A scene of singular loveliness met my eyes. 
Water was all around, placid and quiet as an 
infant's sleep. Far in the dim distance I could 
discern the shadowy shore, and there in the 
midst of the waters was my insignificant palkee, 
myself and kahars being apparently the only 
living objects on the scene. All was lighted up 
by the peculiarly soft moonlight of the Orient. 
Soon the water was so deep that 1 could reach 
it from the palkee, and the kahars kept shout- 
ing to each other, " Be careful, my brother ; step 
carefully," etc. Soon they raised the palkee to 
their shoulders, and at last upon their heads. I 
did not feel very comfortable to be out at sea in 
such a guise. I prefer a ship for water-travel- 
ing decidedly. In a little while the men landed 
me safely on the "other shore," and set me 
down on the sand. 

I then saw that Mr. Humphrey's dooly had 
not left the shore, but was set down on the 
opposite bank while his men assisted mine in 
bringing me over. My kahars then returned 
with his, and brought him over in the same 
manner. 

I could not help indulging in another hearty 
laugh at the little three-cornered dooly as it 
loomed up so fantastically through the moon- 
light, perched on the kahars' heads. As soon 
as Mr. H. was set down by me the kahars ran 
together to a spot near by and kindled a fire 



118 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

with some dry twigs which they must have 
smuggled over somehow, perhaps on the top of 
my palkee. As the flames rose they all thrust 
their legs (they were not troubled with trowsers) 
right into them several times, withdrawing them 
dexterously, so as to dry but not burn them. 
We then proceeded on our way without further 
interruption. 

The morning sun was pouring down floods of 
light, dispelling the mist that settles over the 
plains at night during the cold season, as we 
entered Moradabad. 

Our kahars took us across the fields direct to 
cantonments, thus avoiding the long bridge, the 
dusty, noisy city, and the increasing heat. We 
arrived at Mr. Parsons's tents about nine o'clock 
A. M., where we found breakfast in waiting. 
A new era dawned upon us then and there. 
Delicious sweet potatoes, cauliflowers, oranges, 
and lemons, all showed us that we were again 
in India. It is strange that twenty-four hours' 
traveling can ever make such a difference, but 
so it does sometimes. We left midwinter in 
the mountains and found golden autumn in the 
plains. 

We noticed, too, such a change in the appear- 
ance of the people. In Nynee Tal the natives 
were gloomy and stupid. Wrapped in large 
black woolen blankets, they passed most of their 
time in the enjoyment of the inevitable hookah, 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 119 

and seemed almost to have forgotten that work 
is a necessity. 

The plains' folk, on the contrary, were all 
about the streets, alert and brisk, and intent 
upon prosecuting their several crafts. Here a 
cloth merchant, with a white mark on his fore- 
head, to show that he had performed his pooja 
(idol worship) that day, was striding proudly 
along, while several kahars were carrying his 
huge bundles of dry goods to supply the wants 
of the mem sahibs ; there a Cashmere merchant, 
looking every inch a Mussulman, with a large 
bundle of embroidered shawls and cloaks ; here 
a gardener, with a flat basket covered with 
vegetables, fruit, and nuts, hastening to present 
his offering at the feet of some potential sahib ; 
there a box- walla, or yankee-notion peddler; 
while fowls in baskets, game in netted bags, 
curiosities in carved wood and ivory, all had 
representative venders in the streets. 

The evening succeeding our arrival in Morad- 
abad Mrs. Parsons and I walked in a beautiful, 
though neglected garden, which, previous to the 
mutiny, had been kept up by the government 
authorities. This was the first time I had seen 
oranges and lemons on the trees, and certainly 
the sight was most lovely. 

There were long rows of orange trees, each 
loaded with delicious fruit, though no two trees 
seemed to bear precisely the same kind. We 



120 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

found one tree that bore a very peculiar orange, 
to which we voted the palm. It was rather 
long, with a thin, smooth rind, and a strip of 
brown mossy bark around its center. 

There were both sweet and sour lemons in 
abundance, but no other fruit was then ripe, 
although the peach, pomegranate, pear, fig, 
guava, custard-apple, and mango trees gave 
promise of great variety in the hot season. 
There was also a long row of plantains, which 
are perhaps more properly plants than trees. 
The plantain grows to the height of twelve or 
fifteen feet. There are usually several stalks 
growing close to each other, on which are im- 
mense leaves, often three or four feet in length 
and one or two in width. The strong fibers 
that vein the leaf keep it from being blown to 
fragments by the wind. As it is, they are 
often slit up so as to resemble a huge green 
feather. The leaves as well as the stalks droop 
considerably, which gives the plantain a singu- 
lar and peculiar tropical appearance. On each 
of the large stalks there is a fruit. A smaller 
stalk leaves the main one at about two thirds its 
height, and droops over toward the ground. 
It is leafless, but at the end is a large red bud. 
The clusters of plantains form around this 
stalk in several places, perhaps four or five. 
They are about four inches in length and two 
around, of a sweet, mealy substance. The 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 121 

smaller kind, called the banana by Europeans, 
and which is so plentiful in Bengal and South- 
ern India, is much superior in taste. 

The missionaries were busy for a few days in 
looking up a house, and at last succeeded in 
finding one that could be rented. 

Mr. H. accompanied Mr. Parsons to the city 
for bazar preaching several times, and found he 
could express his thoughts in Hindoostanee even 
in the crowded, busy streets. 

One day, to our great surprise, a deputation 
of men from some villages about twenty miles 
to the south of Moradabad visited us, and re- 
quested the missionaries to visit their people, 
and teach them the doctrines of the Christian 
faith. They were of a class of people called the 
Muzhubee Sikhs. They stated that there was 
a desire among their people to forsake the Hin- 
doo religion wholly and worship the true God. 
We asked them how they knew anything about 
the true God. They answered that they had 
heard the Padre sahibs from the southern side 
of the Ganges preach the Gospel at the annual 
melas, or religious fairs, on the banks of that 
river ; and that many of their learned men had 
received small books from them that told of a 
Saviour, one both divine and human, who had 
of his own free will made atonement for the 
sins of men in his own person by suffering and 
death ; that he rose from the dead, and that all 



122 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

who believe in him shall be saved from their sins 
and inherit everlasting happiness. " We feel," 
said they, " that this is just what we want ; this 
religion is exactly suited to our case." 

Probably the missionaries referred to were 
those of Futteghur, who were slaughtered at 
Cawnpore. They have gone to join those who, 
like themselves, were slain u for the word of 
God, and the testimony which they held ;" but 
their memory is precious, and the seed they 
sowed in tears is now springing up in beauty 
and promise. 

Mr. Parsons and Mr. Humphrey went out to 
the villages on an appointed day. They arrived 
in the evening, and found about forty people 
present. Sixty others had been present in the 
morning to meet them, but were obliged to 
return to their homes before night. 

The missionaries took a small tent with them, 
which during the evening and ensuing morn- 
ing was filled by the Sikhs. Some even 
brought their wives and daughters to listen. 

Late in the evening Mr. H. had them all sit 
down on the rug of the tent in a circle, while he 
read and explained a portion of one of the Gos- 
pels. When he afterward knelt to pray they all 
of their own accord knelt with him, and, to his 
surprise, repeated every petition he uttered. 
There are very few among them who are able 
to read, and so many expressed a desire to 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 123 

learn that we coiild but lament our inability to 
open a school among them at present. 

Soon after Mr. Humphrey's return from the 
Sikh village he laid his dak for Bareilly, where 
he was to meet the superintendent, now Dr. 
Butler, and see what could be done toward 
securing a house there for mission premises. 

Before he left we all removed to the house 
we had rented in Moradabad, although it was 
scarcely habitable. There was neither a glass 
window nor door in the house, and we were 
therefore obliged to keep some of the doors 
open in order to see. The owner commenced 
repairing at once, however, and the house soon 
began to have a more comfortable appearance ; 
but it was after all an unpleasant building, rife 
with bloody legends of the mutiny. 

Mr. H. found that a large mansion could be 
obtained in Bareilly for our mission. It was 
situated two miles west of the city, while the 
English cantonment is on the other side. It is 
too far from the city to be a suitable site for our 
mission premises, neither do we fancy living so 
far from the cantonment while the frightful 
tragedies of 1857 are yet fresh in our memories; 
but there was no alternative, as it was the only 
available house at that time. So it was settled 
that Cashmere kotee should be rented a year at 
least. 

Mr. Humphrey returned to Moradabad, and 



124 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

in a few days started off our few goods to Bareilly 
accompanied by the servants we had engaged m 
Moradabad. Foremost among them was a na- 
tive Christian man, Masih Baksh by name, whom 
we were so fortunate as to secure for house 
bearer. We also engaged a khansamah, a tall, 
fine-looking, heavily-bearded Mussulman, who 
rejoices in the name of Peer Buksh, and we 
consider him really a peer among his fellows. 

We left Moradabad ourselves the evening of 
the twenty-fifth of February, and early next 
morning reached Cashmere Kotee. It stands in 
the center of a large plat of ground, surrounded 
by a ditch and tall Indian grass. On three sides 
are entrances, marked by high plastered brick 
pillars. 

The Kotee has a foundation wall ten feet in 
depth, filled in with earth under the main build- 
ing, but finished off in store-rooms under the 
verandah. The body of the building is fifty 
feet long and seventy-five wide, including deep 
verandahs both in the front and rear, from which 
broad stairs descend to the ground. 

On either side are wings of nearly the same 
width as the main part, and thirty feet in length. 
There are no chambers. The roof is fiat, and 
we find it an agreeable place to sit at evening 
whenever we can muster strength enough to 
climb the stairs. That these are tiresome you 
will believe when I tell you that the rooms are 



SIX YEARS Itf INDIA. 125 

twenty-five feet in height. We cannot have 
paper on our walls on account of the white 
ants ; but we color them light green, blue, straw 
color, etc. 

There are also fine cornices in each room, and 
very pretty mouldings around the doors and 
fireplaces. There are glass folding-doors placed 
directly opposite each other, so that the house 
can be aired quickly and thoroughly ; but there 
are no windows, except in the dressing and bath 
rooms. 

The house was not in very good condition 
when we entered it. The mutiny had left its 
traces even here. The buildings were defaced, 
glass broken, and walls blackened; but under 
the transforming power of mortar and white- 
wash, together with the handicraft of native 
masons, something of the original state of things 
is regained. 

The garden attached to Cashmere Kotee is 
even now very beautiful. It is surrounded by 
a double row of hedge, between which we often 
walk and drive, and is laid out in walks and 
beds, interspersed with fruit trees. There are 
two varieties of the peach, two of the mango, 
guavas, custard apples, and several inferior kinds 
of fruit indigenous to the country. 

We have an excellent moonshee living with 
us. His name is Azim AH. He was a member 
of the band of native Christians that was gath- 



126 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

ered in Futteghur, and with them endured per- 
secutions during the mutiny. His wife is a 
former pupil of Mrs. Poorie's school in Calcutta. 

We have also a Eurasian preacher and his 
family with us. His name is Joseph Field- 
brave. His wife Sophia is an intelligent Chris- 
tian woman. .Rose Anna, the eldest child, is a 
pretty, bright little girl nine years of age. 
Isaac, the son, is a year or two younger, and the 
third is a babe. 

We are much interested in -these natives of 
India who bear the name of Christ, especially as 
this is our first mission station, and these our 
first associates in the missionary work. 

The Hindoos celebrated the last days of Feb- 
ruary and the three first of March as the Holee 
festival. Its origin is said to be on this wise. 
A certain man had a sister who was a monster 
and killer of children, and who troubled many 
people. He also had a son whose name was 
Prahlad. This son was a worshiper of Ram, 
but the father was this god's greatest adversary, 
and was highly displeased at his son's devotion. 
His sister, Doonda, the monster, said to him one 
day, " You make a pile of wood and I will take 
Prahlad in my lap and sit on the pile ; when I 
am seated you must ^set fire to the pile ; I will 
escape and Prahlad will be destroyed." The 
plan was carried out, but, contrary to her expect- 
ations, she was consumed and Prahlad was saved, 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 127 

doubtless through, the aid of Ram. Ever since 
this event the people have held this festival in 
its commemoration. 

Upon the great day of the festival they have 
pooja in the morning and make bonfires at mid- 
night. At this hour they march round their 
fires seven times with ears of barley-corn in their 
hands, which they afterward throw into the fire. 
The next day they throw a red powder over 
each other, and have great feasting and rejoicing. 
Friends visit each other and exchange congratu- 
lations that they are all alive to witness another 
Holee festival. 

The Ram-Numee festival was held the last of 
March, in commemoration of the birth of Ram, 
who is the seventh incarnation of Yishnoo. This 
god became incarnate in order to destroy the 
monster Rawan, the king of Ceylon, which he 
effected by the help of Hanooman, the head of 
the apes. On this day the Hindoos fast, and repair 
to their temples, beat drums, and sing the praises 
of Ram. They also bathe his image with a mix- 
ture of both sweet and sour milk, butter, sugar, 
and honey. At midday they burn incense, and 
offer it flowers and food !- 



128 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 



LETTER X. 

Acquaintances in Bareilly — Orphan Boys and the Tiger — Ef- 
fect produced by Bazar Preaching — School — Inquirers — 
Rumors in regard to the Mission — Zahoor-ul-Haqq — Hot 
Season — Dust Storm — Fruit. 

Bareilly, June 1, 1859. 

My Dear Mother, — Among the first to wel- 
come us to Bareilly were Mr. Ross, chaplain of 
the Forty-second Highlanders, Mr. Cowie, the 
civil chaplain, Capt. and Mrs. Unwin, Lieut, and 
Mrs. Hoggan. The Commissioner of Rohil- 
cund also, and several other civil and military 
officers, have called and expressed an interest in 
our work. 

We have indeed been agreeably surprised by 
the feeling manifested among Europeans in the 
cause of missions. The experience of 1857 has 
not been in vain. It is now realized, somewhat, 
that the only sure foundation on which English 
power in India can rest is the Christian religion. 
The time for forbidding missionaries to preach 
and teach the Gospel is past, and native Chris- 
tians are no longer cast out from government 
employ, but are preferred instead. 

The Commissioner has subscribed five hund- 
red rupees to our general mission fund, and 
others have aided us liberally. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 129 

Here is the copy of a note received from the 
principal of the Bareilly Government College, 
which has been lately reorganized. I presnme 
it is a fair exponent of the views of onr English 
friends as to what sort of people missionaries 
should be. 

My Dear Sir, — I have much pleasure in 
sending you rupees one hundred. I appreciate 
the character of an honest Christian missionary 
as one of the noblest on earth, and am desirous 
to support his efforts ; and I am of opinion that 
as long as he is honest and simple-minded, and 
keeps himself " unspotted from the world," (im- 
pure as is our Anglo-Indian world,) that the na- 
tives will appreciate him too. 

"Wishing you Godspeed, I remain yours, etc., 

M. Kempson. 

Bareilly is situated about sixty miles south- 
east from Moradabad, near the Ramgunga river, 
which is a tributary of the Gunga or Ganges. 
The main bazar is over two miles in length. It 
is now undergoing extensive repairs under the 
direction of the English magistrate. The shops 
have similar fronts of hard plaster in mouldings 
and flowers, which are very pretty and unique. 
At intervals there are beautifully ornamented 
gateways arching over the streets. Furniture 
of superior finish and quality is manufactured 
9 



130 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

in Bareilly ; also jewelry, vessels of copper, brass, 
etc. The population is about 100,000. 

We received a visit one day from three Hin- 
doo gentlemen, with one of whom, Girdhara 
Sing, we were previously acquainted. They sat 
some time conversing with Mr. H., until he was 
called from the room. When he had left, one 
of the gentlemen said hurriedly to Girdhara 
Sing, " Ask the mem sahib." Girdhara turned 
to me and said, " Mem sahib, I cannot make my 
friends believe that you and the sahib never 
drink wine and brandy except as a medicine : I 
know you don't, for your servants told me so, 
but my friends think an Englishman could not 
live without their daily use." I said to them, 
" We certainly do not use them except as medi- 
cines." 

" Does your religion," they asked, " prohibit 
their use." 

I answered, " We think that the word of God, 
which is our guide, does prohibit the intemperate 
use of any blessings we have, and many people 
cannot use wines temperately ; if they taste them 
they drink so much as to ruin themselves, soul 
and body ; and as we are also taught to be 
watchful over each other, to bear the infirmities 
of the weak, etc., we think it is our duty to re- 
frain from these intoxicating beverages, so that 
our influence may not make others to offend, 
but keep them from sin instead." 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 131 

Just then Mr. H. came in and added, "We 
find that wines do us more good as medicines 
than they would if we used them daily." 

" Doubtless it is so, sahib," they answered, and 
turning to Girdhara Sing remarked, " we are 
convinced." 

Soon after our arrival we dispatched Masih 
Buksh to Nynee Tal to fetch the three orphan 
boys still remaining there, James Gowan having 
gone to Lucknow. When coming down the hill 
they were attacked by a tiger, but through Masih 
Buksh's courage and presence of mind escaped 
without injury. 

Mr. Humphrey and his two helpers com- 
menced preaching regularly in the city as soon 
as we became settled, and there was always an 
eager, and sometimes an angry multitude to 
listen. 

The city was surveyed and a regular plan of 
appointments made out ; Monday at such a 
well, Tuesday at such a bazar, etc. Wells 
seemed to be the favorite pulpits, as people 
gather about them at eventide ; and as they come 
to draw water, the preachers tell them, as did 
the compassionate Saviour, of the water of life, 
" of which if a man drink he shall never 
thirst." 

The Mussulmans were furious at this invasion 
of their faith ; the Hindoos quite as much so, 
but a little quieter in their demonstrations. 



132 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

One evening a Mussulman said to Mr. Hum- 
phrey while preaching, " yes, you can say 
what you like now, sahib, for it is your reign ; 
but if it were ours we'd put a stop to such talk 
very quickly,' 5 and his eyes glittered with 
malice. 

"We don't doubt that in the least," replied 
Mr. H. "You have just shown us by your 
fiendish cruelty during the mutiny what you 
would do if you could ; but it is our reign now, 
and why ? Because the Christian religion is to 
be spread everywhere, and since you will not 
allow it to be preached under your rule, God 
has placed the British power in authority over 
this land." 

Weeks passed on. We organized a school in 
a spare room of the kotee composed of our three 
orphan boys, Joseph's boy and girl, Masih 
Baksh, and two young men who came to us 
from the Sikh villages south of Moradabad. 

These last were twin brothers, Minepul and 
Gurdial Sing. They seemed from the first ac- 
quaintance we had with them to be much im- 
pressed by the truth, and after the spring har- 
vest had passed (for they were farmers) they 
left their home, journeyed eighty miles to us, 
and begged permission to work sufficiently to 
pay for their food, and to be allowed to give 
the rest of their time to study. 

They wished to learn to read the word of 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 133 

God for themselves, and to find the way of life, 
and walk in it. They proved to be industrious 
and singularly free from guile, and are making 
good although slow progress in knowledge. 

Several men from the city have come to us as 
inquirers; but after long conversations with 
them we ascertained that their chief anxiety 
was to obtain recommendations to the civil 
officers, that they might obtain government 
employ; accordingly we dismissed them with 
the assurance that we could not recommend 
them to the magistrates and judges, as we were 
in no way connected with government. Our 
only object was to lead them to the true God. 

The natives are slow to comprehend disinter- 
estedness, as they have so little in their own 
character ; therefore they persist in saying that 
we are to be paid for our converts by govern- 
ment, so much per head. The report has been 
rife in Bareilly that we are to receive one thou- 
sand rupees ($500) apiece for all the Christians 
we make, and they suppose the process of mak- 
ing Christians to be a supernatural one, a kind 
of incantation. 

These prejudices we must of course live down, 
and I think on this account, if for no other 
reason, our " only two years in a place " rule is 
not suited to India. 

June 10, 1859. 

One Sabbath morning, at our early service 
in the long central room of the kotee, I no- 



134 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

ticed a stranger. He was evidently a Mussul- 
man and a scholar, and his keen eye and com- 
posed demeanor showed that he possessed more 
than an ordinary amount of intelligence and 
culture. 

The thought came into my mind, " There is 
a conceited Mussulman come down from the 
city to hear the preaching, that he may contro- 
vert it afterward." After service I remarked 
something of the kind to Mr. H., but he replied 
earnestly, "No, he did not come to provoke 
controversy, but to inquire into the truth ;'" and 
added that he believed him to be an intelligent 
and sincere inquirer. 

Zahoor-ul-Haqq, for that was his name, came 
to us daily throughout that week, and at its 
close evinced a strong determination to identify 
himself with us as a Christian believer. He 
asked no favors, needed none, as he was in the 
service of some Mohammedan gentlemen as a 
teacher of their sons, and thus earned a com- 
fortable livelihood ; but he had felt uneasy in 
regard to his prospect for eternity for a long 
time. He felt that the Mohammedan creed 
was not sufficient for his need, and he believed 
that he recognized in the Christian religion a 
fitness to the wants of man that spoke its origin 
divine. He therefore asked Mr. H. to baptize 
him on the ensuing Sabbath. But Mr. Hum- 
phrey thought best to have him wait a week, 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 135 

and said to him, " I should very much dislike 
to baptize you before you are fully decided, as 
it would have an injurious effect upon others 
should you afterward return to Mohammedan- 
ism, so we will wait one week, and if at its close 
you still desire it I will receive you into the 
Church of God by baptism." 

Zahoor-ul-Haqq acquiesced pleasantly, al- 
though he was evidently disappointed. He re- 
marked, " You'll find me of the same mind next 
Sabbath." 

We then held our usual morning service, and 
afterward the Sabbath-school. Mr. H. explained 
the eighth chapter of Mark to the native preach- 
ers, Masih Baksh, Zahoor-ul-Haqq, and others. 
After reading that verse, " "What shall it profit a 
man if he gain the whole, world and lose his own 
soul," etc., Mr. H. remarked on this wise : " When 
a man dies his soul enters upon a new sphere ; 
none of the accompaniments of this life can be 
taken with him, therefore all he has gathered 
here of this world's wealth will be of no use to 
him in that new state of existence. If he has 
fully believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
manifested his belief by a good life, his soul will 
enter into the joys of heaven ; but if he has not, 
if all his energies have been employed in the 
acquisition of wealth, or any merely worldly 
object, his soul will be cast out of that happy 
place into darkness and banishment from the 



136 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

presence of God for evermore. He will lose Ms 
soul ! "What shall it profit him then -that he 
possesses even the whole world ? " 

" Nothing," said the listeners simultaneously ; 
and Zahoor-ul-Haqq added with energy, "Sa- 
hib, why not baptize me now ? I may die 
before to-morrow without having manifested 
my belief in the Lord Jesus Christ." 

He spoke so earnestly that we all started 
with surprise. Mr. H. replied, " Be patient till 
next Sabbath, and give your time meanwhile to 
prayer and the study of the Scriptures. God 
sees your willingness to honor him before men, 
and will as surely accept it as if really shown 
forth in deeds, should you die before an oppor- 
tunity to do so is given you." 

The question dropped, but our hearts were 
filled with joy at his intelligent earnestness in 
the matter. 

During the week all the arts and influences pos- 
sible were brought to bear upon Zahoor-ul-Haqq 
by his Mohammedan relatives. His father came 
more than thirty miles to see him, to beseech, 
threaten, or bribe, as he might find necessary. 
He tried the three methods in succession with- 
out the slightest effect, and in despair gave up 
his son to his dreadful infatuation. His wife 
sent him word that he should never live with 
her more, nor ever have possession of his two 
children if he forsook the faith of Mohammed : 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 137 

but when the Sabbath dawned Zahoor-ul-Haqq 
was ready and waiting for the simple ceremony 
that typifies so marvelous a change in man — the 
deliberate turning from error to truth, from 
darkness to light, from Satan to God. 

I have seen scores in our own land take the 
vows of Christ upon them by baptism, and have 
always regarded the sight as one of the most 
beautiful which earth can afford, causing saints 
and angels to rejoice with great joy ; but I 
never realized the full import of that precious 
sacrament as I did that lovely Sabbath morning 
when this first convert in our mission renounced 
the faith of the false prophet for that of the Son 
of God. 

Zahoor-ul-Haqq's daily life since that time has 
been all we could wish. We have engaged him 
as a teacher in our school at the same salary he 
was receiving in the city. "We disliked to set 
the precedent, but our need was urgent, as 
Azim Ali and his wife have been removed to 
Moradabad. 

The hot wind is now having full sway over 
these plains. It commenced the first of April, 
and has blown regularly ever since. It rises 
daily about eight o'clock A. M., and falls about 
five in the evening. We keep the doors closely 
shut during the intervening hours and the pun- 
kahs swinging, and strive to forget our lassitude 
and discomfort in study. 



138 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

The school is held in the early morning. It 
has been increased lately by the arrival of two 
more Sikhs and one more orphan ; the latter 
was sent us by the magistrate. 

Our bazar preaching is held at evening, and 
all the livelong day we remain shut up in this 
large cool mansion. Cool, did I say ? I fancy 
you would not call it so were you to step inside 
it just now, as the punkah-walla, that is, the 
man who pulls the punkah, has just managed 
to break the slender bamboo to which the pun- 
kah rope is attached, and while he is fastening 
on a new one the atmosphere of the room re- 
lapses into a dead heat. 

We have had several terrific dust-storms 
lately. During one of them the darkness was 
so intense that we were obliged to light candles 
at mid-day ; but the " chota barsat," or little 
rainy season, is close at hand, and then we shall 
probably have some relief from this intense 
heat. 

"We have now an abundance of fruit, man- 
goes and peaches, guavas, etc. ; but we are 
obliged to exercise great caution in regard to 
eating fruit of any kind. 

The mango is a large oval-shaped fruit, of a 
green color ; but when fully ripe slightly tinged 
with yellow. Beneath the rind is a soft pulpy 
substance of a bright orange color, and very 
delicious flavor. The guavas resemble large 



SIX YEARS EST INDIA. 139 

pears in appearance. Their taste is pleasant ; 
but we do not eat them unless cooked, as they 
are said to be hurtful. 

We have both suffered in health somewhat of 
course, but our English friends and physician 
say that we bear the heat very well indeed. I 
think our lonely situation helps to make us low- 
spirited at times, as well as the heat ; but as we 
are pioneers in this part of the great field we 
must bear this patiently. I hope, however, that 
the time will be brief, as we hear that a large 
party of missionaries sailed from Boston in April 
for India. May God protect them on the great 
deep and bring them safely to us. "We regret that 
they sailed so early in the year, as they will be 
obliged to come up the country in August, and 
we fear some among them may not be strong 
enough to bear the fatigue of traveling in such 
oppressive weather as we are sure to have dur- 
ing that month. 

But I must close ; and just now as I think of 
the long journey these pages will make, my 
mind's eye glances at their destination, the 
white farm-house in old St. Lawrence, where 
my mother and my brothers dwell, and I long 
to open wide the door that I may catch a 
glimpse of the familiar forms within. I see 
the blooming garden, and the waving grass 
of the meadow just beyond ; but hark ! what 
dissonant voice is that: "Khana taiyar hai," 



140 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

(dinner is ready,) and my beautiful mirage 
vanishes, and in its stead is ray matted floor, 
the high bare walls, the swinging punkah, 
and the dusky form in the doorway with a 
hand gracefully waving toward the waiting 
dinner, so I must bid adieu to day-dreams for 
the present. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 143 



LETTER XI. 

Rainy Season — Its Accompaniments — Beetles — Reptiles, etc. 
— Masih Buksh — Arrival of Missionaries — Journey to 
Lucknow — Items in regard to the City — Annual Meeting 
No. 1 — Return to Bareilly — Death of Mr. Downey. 

Bareilly, September 25, 1859. 

My dear Mother, — On the fifteenth day of 
June 

" God sent his messenger the rain, 
And said unto the mountain brook, 
' Rise up, and from thy caverns look, 
And leap with naked snow-white feet 
From the cool hills into the heat 

Of the broad arid plain." 

Never did we give rain snch a welcome as 
then. It poured, it sparkled, it bubbled, and O 
how both vegetable and animal life were re- 
freshed ! The hot wind was banished, and a 
delicious coolness pervaded the atmosphere; 
but after a few days the rain ceased, and for a 
week the weather was hot and close. The sun 
poured its heat upon the saturated ground, and 
a steamy, malarious atmosphere was the conse- 
quence. Then the burra barsat (big rainy sea- 
son) set in, and we had alternate rain and sun- 
shine for two and a half months. 

On the whole we found the rainy season more 



144 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

trying than the hot, as the sudden changes oc- 
casioned chills and colds. The ground and air 
became alive with reptiles and insects ; serpents, 
centipedes, scorpions, toads, lizards, and worms 
on the ground, and every imaginable kind of 
beetle and butterfly in the air and in the 
houses. The cobra-capello, or hooded snake, is 
very common. An officer in Bareilly found one 
in his sleeping-room soon after the rains com- 
menced, and had some difficulty in dispatching 
him. It is no unusual thing to find a scorpion 
on the wall, or behind a door, or even in a shoe. 
But the reptile most dreaded by the natives is 
the large black snake. I knew of three deaths 
resulting from their bite last season. 

The seventeenth of August is observed by 
Hindoos as a day of prayer to be preserved 
from the bites of serpents. Religious (?) cere- 
monies are performed, and a certain great ser- 
pent is worshiped. 

We have lost Masih Buksh, our Christian 
bearer. His wife's father, who is in a Roman 
Catholic mission near Meerut, has succeeded in 
getting his services for a while. He went only 
to keep peace with his wife, and will come back 
to our mission as soon as possible. I do not 
think there is any fear of his becoming a Ro- 
manist. We have Minepul Sing as house-bearer 
now, and he really does very well. 

During the last days of August we heard of 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 145 

several cases of fever and cholera in the city, 
bnt were mercifully spared all serious illness 
ourselves. 

We rejoiced greatly when we heard of the 
safe arrival of our missionaries. The reinforce- 
ment consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Baume and 
their little son, Mr. and Mrs. Parker, Mr. and 
Mrs. Judd, Mr. and Mrs. Waugh, Mr. and Mrs. 
Downey, and Mr. Thoburn. We were only 
waiting their arrival to hold our first annual 
meeting in Lucknow, so we left Bareilly about 
the time they left Calcutta in order to have a 
little visit in Lucknow before their arrival. As 
we traveled in palkees, and Mr. Knowles and 
Mr. Parsons were in company with us, we 
formed quite a procession. All the long night 
and till near the succeeding midday we endured 
the shaking of the palkees. 

We should have arrived in Futteghur in the 
morning had the Ganges been in its normal 
state ; but it was much swollen from the recent 
rains, and the rude boats that took us across 
were almost unmanageable. The heat was in- 
tense, and it seemed to us that we were baked to 
the full extent of endurance ; but when we were 
set down by the cool-looking dak bungalow in 
Futteghur our spirits came to us again, and we 
sang out with some energy, considering our 
recent feeble condition, for the khansamah, and 

ordered refreshments. 

10 



146 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

"We went on in the evening by horse dak. 
The horses had changed for the better since our 
memorable ride in 1858, but still the journey 
was very fatiguing. I look back and wonder 
that I dared to make that trip at that season of 
the year ; but I was famishing for society, and 
thought the joy of meeting our friends would 
compensate for the fatigues of the journey, and 
so it did a hundredfold. 

We reached Cawnpore about ten o'clock 
A. M., rested three or four hours, and then 
hastened on to Lucknow, where we arrived 
about nine o'clock in the evening. I shall not 
soon forget the welcome we received there, 
and the delightful visit we enjoyed with our 
friends. 

We were glad to find Joel and his family 
(which had joined him in Lucknow) well and 
happy, also James Gowan and several orphan 
girls looking happy, and evidently making 
progress in the right way. 

We spent Saturday and Monday in driving 
about the ancient and once regal city of Luck- 
now. We saw the fort, the splendid Imam- 
barah, a moslem cathedral, the yet beautiful 
temples, the still magnificent palaces ; but from 
them the glory has departed. 

No wonder the native nobles mourn the decay 
of so much grandeur. One of the king's pal- 
aces is now occupied by missionaries of the 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 147 

Church of England. "We saw the gateway 
where the gallant ISTeill fell, and the battered 
and frowning residency, now so well known as 
the scene of the fearful siege of 1857, and where 
the noble Sir Henry Lawrence died. 

Lucknow extends about four miles along the 
bank of the river Goomtee. Aside from the 
numerous palaces and temples, the buildings 
are very wretched. The city is now undergo- 
ing extensive repairs and changes. Many of 
the huts have been leveled, and the streets 
widened. The population in 1853 was three 
hundred thousand. 

Monday evening we all met in Dr. But- 
ler's parlor to await the arrival of our friends. 
They came at last, and O what a meeting it 
was ! Probably never again will missionaries be 
received among us with such joy, because never 
again will circumstances be the same. The 
mutiny, and our consequent discouragements 
and dangers, our long and lonely waiting, all 
had wrought up our feelings to an unusual 
pitch. They were all in pretty good health, 
except Mr. and Mrs. Downey, who seemed to 
have suffered much from exposure to the 
heat. 

Our first annual meeting commenced next day 
in the newly-finished mission chapel, and con- 
tinued till the Wednesday of the succeeding 
week. The appointments were as follows : 



148 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

Lucknow, Kev. R. Pierce, J. Cawdell. 

Shahjehanpore, Rev. J. W. Waugh. 

Bareilly, Rev. J. L. Humphrey, Rev. J. B. 

Downey. 
Moradabad, Rev. C. W. Judd, J. Parsons. 
Bijnour, Rev. E. W. Parker. 
Eynee Tal, Rev. J. M. Thoburn, S. Knowles. 

You notice one other name in the list besides 
the missionaries with whom I have made yon 
acquainted. Mr. Cawdell came ont to Calcutta 
as a Bible reader, I believe. He has joined our 
mission at Lucknow quite recently. 

A boys' orphanage was located at Bareilly, 
and one for orphan girls in Lucknow, Mr. 
Downey to have charge of the boys, and Mrs. 
Pierce of the girls. 

During the last days of the meeting Mr. and 
Mrs. Downey were both ill, and had the advice 
of a physician. On the day it closed Mrs. 
Downey was better, but he seemed worse, al- 
though we did not anticipate a fatal termina- 
tion to his illness. We hoped soon to welcome 
them both to Bareilly. 

Wednesday evening Mr. and Mrs. Judd and 
ourselves bade our Lucknow friends good-by 
and commenced our homeward journey. They 
were to spend a fortnight with us, as the mission 
house at Moradabad (a recent purchase) was not 
yet vacated. Mr. and Mrs. Parker remained a 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 149 

while in Lucknow, as they were somewhat in- 
disposed. 

We had a more trying journey home than 
when we went to Lucknow, if that were pos- 
sible. On Saturday, instead of reaching home 
by ten o'clock A. M., as we expected, we were 
exposed to the heat all the livelong day on 
the long dak from Futteghur to Bareilly. 
Twenty-two hours we lay in our palkees, only 
leaving them once for the purpose of procuring 
refreshments, in which undertaking we entirely 
failed. 

About eight o'clock Saturday evening Cash- 
mere Kotee again blessed our vision. Our native 
Christians and servants were on the look-out, 
and gave us a hearty welcome. We were so 
thoroughly fatigued that we kept our beds 
nearly all the next day, merely exerting our- 
selves to go out to our meals, and to hold one 
service in Hindoostanee. 

The week succeeding we devoted ourselves to 
showing up the place, country, and people round 
about to Mr. and Mrs. Judd, not forgetting 
sundry reading lessons in Hindoostanee. 

One morning we went by invitation to break- 
fast with some of our English friends, and while 
at their house we received a letter from Luck- 
now informing us that Mr. Downey was dead. 
It was a great blow to us. We could scarcely 
believe it possible that he was indeed thus cut 



150 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

down on the very threshold of the missionary 
work. He was so amiable and talented that we 
had formed high expectations of his future 
usefulness. 

A letter from Sister Pierce, written a few 
days after his death, reads as follows : 

" Brother Downey was buried last Saturday 
evening in our little cemetery, where his body 
will await the resurrection, while his glorified 
spirit is rejoicing in the light of God's counte- 
nance. He has truly given himself for India. 
O that this death may accomplish more for this 
unhappy people than his life would have done ! 

" Dear Sister Downey exhibits in a wonderful 
manner the sustaining influences of grace. I 
remained with her during the night after his 
burial, and I shall never forget it. She said at 
one time, ' O how desolate I am, and yet how 
my comforts abound ! ' She will go to Bareilly, 
and as far as she can will do the work Brother 
Downey would have done. She told him when 
he was dying, 'My own love, God being my 
helper, I will live and die for India, and the 
people for whom you have prayed so much.' 
She will go to Bareilly in company with Brother 
and Sister Parker, who expect to leave soon for 
Bijnour." 

Three Hindoo holidays occur in the month of 
September. One is in remembrance of the fifth 
incarnation of Yishnoo to prevent the king Balee 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 151 

from obtaining dominion over the three worlds 
— heaven, earth, and the region below the earth. 
Another is in honor of the birth of Janesh, the 
god of learning and prudence. This god is 
invoked by all students and authors before 
they commence their respective labors. On 
the third holiday " pooja " is performed for 
the benefit of the souls of departed ancestors, 
among whom they reckon crows ! This notion 
is in accordance with their theory of the trans- 
migration of souls, which is an important part 
of the Hindoo religion. According to their be- 
lief, heaven consists in a soul being absorbed in 
the divine nature, just as a river becomes one 
with the ocean by falling into it. Hell consists 
in a soul being sent into the body of a very infe- 
rior animal. 

The weather is growing decidedly cooler, al- 
though still very oppressive. Custard apples 
are ripe now, and are very delicious as well as 
wholesome. They are about the size of an ordi- 
nary apple, and are covered with a thick scaly 
rind. The pulp is white and sweet, something 
like custard, hence its name. 

We are feeling stronger since the rains entirely 
ceased, and hope to be able to itinerate among 
the villages in the district of Barielly in a few 
weeks. 



152 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 



LETTEK XII. 

Yisit with Friends — Arrival of Mrs. Downey — Hindoo Festi- 
val — Arrival of Dr. Butler and Family — Commence Itinerat- 
ing—A Peep behind the Purdah — Journey to Budaon — 
Lieut. Governor — Nawab of Rampore — Robbery — Budaon 
to be a Mission Station — Baptisms — Removal. 

Budaon, Jan. 30, 1860. 

My Dear Mother, — Mr. and Mrs. Parker, with 
Mrs. Downey, came to Bareilly the first of Oc- 
tober. On the evening after their arrival Mr. 
and Mrs. Judd left us for Moradabad. Mrs. 
Downey bears her great sorrow with meekness 
and resignation, but her grief preys upon her 
spirits and health. She calls forth our tenderest 
sympathy. Mr. Downey was to have charge of 
the boy's orphanage, and it is thought best for 
Mrs. Downey to occupy that position now. 

Thomas C alien, a native Christian catechist, 
is to assist her, and there are several teachers 
and servants, so that we trust the care will not 
be too much for her to undertake. 

Mr. and Mrs. Parker remained with us a fort- 
night, and we enjoyed many walks and drives 
together in the country round about. 

There is a beautiful garden, owned by a 
wealthy Hindoo gentleman, very near us, and 
our friends were charmed with it as well as with 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 153 

our own more unpretending grounds. Just out- 
side this garden a great annual jubilee was held 
on the twentieth of October, in commemoration 
of the victory of Ham over Rawan, the ten- 
headed monster and King of Ceylon. 

An immense figure of wicker work was raised 
and filled with fireworks. This was the effigy 
of the King of Ceylon. A fine looking Hindoo 
lad, on a gayly caparisoned elephant, represented 
Ram. 

An immense concourse of people, all arrayed 
in bright colors, assembled to witness the de- 
struction of the figure. A confused clangor was 
kept up with great zeal on drums and odd- 
looking tin and brass instruments. At the ap- 
pointed time the representative Ram set fire to 
the wicker monster, which, amid the frantic 
cheers of the multitude, exploded, and blazed 
away till it was consumed. 

Soon after Mr. and Mrs. Parker left, Dr. But- 
ler and family arrived from Lucknow, together 
with the orphan boys that had been gathered in 
that place. 

As soon as the orphanage was made over to 
Mrs. Downey, and we were free from the care 
of the school, we thought best to commence 
itinerating, a course that is generally pursued 
by missionaries in the cold season. We started 
in primitive style. A bullock cart was loaded 
with a tent, table, bed, chairs, cooking utensils, 



154 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

and a box of provisions, and with two or three 
servants was sent in advance. Mr. H. and I 
made onr march of ten miles on horseback. 

We stopped at midday and ate our luncheon 
under a wide-spreading mango tree in the midst 
of a fine grove or " tope." As we admired the 
luxuriant foliage of the trees we could but con- 
trast it in our minds with the appearance of our 
trees at home at that season of the year. 

Our trees here are never leafless. All the 
year round their thickly-clothed branches give 
welcome shade to man and beast, but during 
the spring months leaves are falling continually 
and new ones shooting forth, until the whole 
mass of foliage is silently and almost impercep- 
tibly renewed.' The natives use the dry leaves 
for fuel. 

The road was so terribly "kutchah" that 
when we arrived at Futtegunge, the village 
where we were to encamp, we found our cart 
had but just arrived. A site was selected in a 
grove just outside the village, the tent was soon 
put up, and we commenced tentkeeping. 

We staid there several days. Joseph was 
with us, and accompanied Mr. H. in his frequent 
trips to the village to preach to the people, to 
converse with them and give them books. 
Numbers came to our tents asking for books 
and tracts, and all appeared to be curious and 
interested. 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 155 

I went one evening into the village and en- 
tered the courtyard of a Mohammedan family. 
The family dwellings were around it on three 
sides, and the women of the household, twenty 
or twenty-five in number, being the daughters, 
daughters-in-law, and granddaughters of the 
heads of the family, were scattered over the yard, 
spinning cotton, cleaning brass cups and plates, 
taking care of babies, etc., etc. They gathered 
round me with great apparent interest, gave me 
a comfortable morha (cane stool) to sit on, and 
overwhelmed me with questions. 

"When they ascertained that my husband was 
neither a magistrate nor judge, colonel nor cap- 
tain, but a padre sahib instead, they asked why 
we had come out to their village. I explained 
that he is a different padre sahib from the chap- 
lains, that we were not from Europe but from 
the new world, " America des see," and that we 
came to teach the Hindoostanee people about 
the true God, and how they might obtain for- 
giveness for their sins, and secure everlasting 
life and happiness. They asked many questions, 
which I answered as best I could, and when I 
left they urged me to come again. 

The succeeding night considerable rain fell, 
and our tent was flooded. We made an inglo- 
rious retreat next morning to Cashmere Kotee, 
as the weather was changeable and our tent was 
not a good one. The exposure brought on an 



156 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

attack of neuralgia, which obliged me to remain 
at home for a fortnight, and Mr. H. and Joseph 
had the itinerating all to themselves. 

Zahoor-ul-Haqq accompanied Mr. H. on one 
trip, and one evening preached for the first time 
in a large village near Shahjehanpore. Mr. H. 
noticed that he appeared agitated at the time, 
and learned afterward that it was his native 
village ! 

Zahoor-ul-Haqq did not set himself to preach- 
ing. He is too modest for that. But his words 
in our social meetings were so well chosen, and 
were uttered in so convincing a manner, that we 
urged him to go forth and bear witness to the 
truth among the people. He bids fair to become 
a very useful preacher. 

About the twelfth of December we started 
again in company, determined to have a long 
tour. This time we journeyed in a covered 
two- wheeled vehicle called a shigram, drawn by 
oxen. We were bound for Budaon, a city about 
twenty-eight miles from Bareilly in a southerly 
direction. 

We were two nights on the road. Mr. H. and 
Joseph preached in several villages as we went 
along, and distributed tracts and gospels to all 
who could read. 

We reached Budaon on the evening of the 
third day, and pitched our tents (we had two) 
on an open space a little out from the city, near 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 157 

the European residences. Before we were set- 
tled two natives came and welcomed ns to Bu- 
daon, saying they were Christians and had long 
been praying that missionaries might come into 
the place. We had heard of them previously, 
and knew something of their history. They 
were members of a small society of native Chris- 
tians that was formed in Bareilly before the mu- 
tiny by a zealous chaplain of the Church of 
England. 

I say native Christians, although it is proba- 
ble that very few of them know anything of a 
change of heart. They have, however, been 
baptized and initiated into the use of the Prayer 
Book. A school has been kept up among them 
most of the time, and they are therefore far in 
advance of their heathen neighbors in intelli- 
gence. 

Three brothers from this little band, with 
their families, had removed to Budaon previous 
to the mutiny, and procured government em- 
ploy. When the Sepoy regiment stationed at 
that place mutinied they fled to an obscure vil- 
lage, where they remained unmolested until Bu- 
daon was reoccupied by the English, when they 
immediately returned. 

We arranged our tents comfortably, and con- 
cluded to make something of a stay in Budaon. 
Mr. H. and Joseph preached often in the city 
to multitudes of eager listeners, and could 



158 SIX YEARS m INDIA. 

scarcely supply the demand for tracts and 
gospels. 

The native Christians urged us to commence 
a mission in the place at once, and pointed out 
an unfinished kotee nearly opposite our camping 
ground, which was for sale, and would make a 
suitable mission house. 

Mr. H. wrote to Dr. Butler a report of our 
reception, and the favorable opinion we had 
formed of the place, and asked him to join us 
if he should judge best to entertain the project 
of commencing a mission there immediately. 
In a day or two he arrived, and was so well 
pleased with the prospect at Budaon, that he 
concluded to purchase the kotee and have us 
remove there as soon as possible. 

About this time Mr. Edmonstone, the Lieuten- 
ant-governor of the Northwest Provinces, with 
his suite, arrived in the place on his usual winter 
tour, and encamped a short distance from us. 
Their tents were arranged in streets, and formed 
quite a little village. 

The nawab of Rampore also, who since his 
staunch championship during the mutiny is 
quite a favorite with the government, came to 
Budaon to meet the lieutenant-governor, and his 
large and irregular cluster of tents was resplen- 
dent with barbaric finery. 

On the twenty-fourth of December we re- 
ceived tickets of invitation to a Christmas din- 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 159 

ner to be given at the lieutenant-governor's tent 
the next evening e We retired to rest later than 
usual that night, as Dr. Butler and Mr. H. were 
busy looking about the city until evening. We 
noticed an unusual number of natives lurking 
about, but did not take any more precautions 
than usual. Our bullocks were fastened near 
the tents, and their drivers slept in the carts 
near them. Our servants slept under a tree 
near the tents, and one lay across the main en- 
trance to our tent. 

It is the custom in India to have a watchman, 
a chowkeedar as he is called, to keep watch 
throughout the night whenever a house is out of 
military cantonment, and when itinerating, on 
account of the great number of robbers in the 
country. But we had never had one when itin- 
erating, and had never been disturbed in any 
way. Upon that night we did not even take 
the precaution to keep a lamp burning. 

We slept quietly until about four o'clock in 
the morning, just that darkest time that pre- 
cedes the dawn, when I was wakened by a 
clicking sound. I listened, and distinctly heard 
a noise as if a dog ran across the tent just beyond 
the head of our bed. I waked Mr. H. and 
asked him to light the lamp quickly, as I thought 
there were dogs in the tent, a not unusual thing 
by the way. He struck a light and looked 
around the tent, but saw nothing unusual. I 



160 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

then glanced around and saw that our two trunks 
were missing. 

" Our trunks ! " I exclaimed, " where are 
they?" 

" Where, sure enough !" said Mr. H., and just 
then we saw the tent was open on either side 
in a line with the place where the trunks had 
stood. 

" There have been robbers here," we said 
simultaneously, and we awakened our servants 
at once, and dressed quickly as possible. Peer 
Buksh and the other servants came in directly. 
We told them what had occurred, and giving 
them a lantern sent them off to chase the rob- 
bers, while Mr. A. should call the police. Be- 
fore he had started, however, a servant came 
running back with the intelligence that they 
could discern the robbers making off across the 
fields toward a grove. 

There was a grand chase for a while, and then 
the robbers seeing they would soon be overtaken, 
stopped, opened the trunks, and turned every- 
thing out upon the ground. They then sought 
and took what money happened to be there, 
(only about sixteen dollars,) tore off the brass 
clasps from a memorandum book, and last, but 
not least, my broche shawl, and ran away, leav- 
ing everything else strewed on the grass. 

Christmas evening we dined at the lieutenant- 
governor's tent. His suite, and all the English 



SIX YEAES m INDIA. 161 

residents of the station, were present. These 
last were not many, only three families. 

Mr. Edmonstone is a fine-looking gentleman, 
apparently about fifty years of age. The offi- 
cers of his suite were quite social and agreeable, 
and so were the ladies and gentlemen of the 
station. I noticed that the gentlemen drank 
wine quite freely, especially two or three of 
them, and were quite hilarious in consequence. 
After dinner a short time was spent in conver- 
sation, and the party broke up. 

The next day we returned to Bareilly, and 
soon as the purchase of the house in Budaon 
was completed, made preparation to remove. 
The evening previous to our departure from Ba- 
reilly Mr. H. baptized Minepul Sing, Khan Sing, 
also a Sikh, and Hosain Buksh, a young man 
from Lucknow. Gurdial Sing, the brother of 
Minepul, had previously gone to Bijnour to Mr. 
Parker. 

The fatigue consequent upon our removal was 
too much for me, and I have been ill ever since. 
I am but just beginning to study again, but there 
is so much confusion and discomfort on account 
of the work which is being done on the house 
that I find it a difficult matter to keep my atten- 
tion fixed upon any subject. I hope, however, 
that this delightful cold season will so invigorate 
me that I shall soon recover my balance both of 
mental and physical strength. 
11 



162 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

We left Minepul Sing in Bareilly, as bearer 
for the Boys' Orphanage, and I miss him very 
much, as we have not been able to supply his 
place, and I have consequently been obliged to 
do many things for which I have not sufficient 
strength, and do not wish to spare the time, for 
I count every moment lost, aside from needful 
duties and recreation, that is not spent in the 
study of the language or in direct intercourse 
with the natives. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 163 



LETTEE XIII. 

Epitome of the Hindoo Religion — Natal, Marriage, and Fune- 
ral Ceremonies — Seasons — Products of the Country. 

Budaon, March 20, 1860. 

My Dear Mother, — I received a letter from 
you a few weeks ago, in which you asked me to 
give you an epitome of the Hindoo articles of 
faith and an outline of their customs, etc. The 
reason I have not done so ere this is, that I have 
not known the one nor the other sufficiently well 
to do so, nor do I now except in theory. That 
theory has been furnished us in a very interest- 
ing little work entitled " Domestic Manners and 
Customs of the Hindoos of Northern India," by 
Baboo Ishuree Dass, a native Christian Catechist 
of Futteghur. 

The most ancient of the Hindoo scriptures, 
according to him, teach the worship of one su- 
preme being. In later times, when the people 
sunk into gross idolatry, other books were writ- 
ten called the " Veds." These inculcate the 
worship of gods, goddesses, images, animals, 
rivers, and almost everything a Hindoo likes or 
fears. 

According to these later scriptures, the deity 



164 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

has resolved himself into three forms, called 
Brahma, Yishnoo, and Mahesh. The work of 
the first is creation, of the second preservation, 
and of the third, destruction. A female princi- 
pal is joined to each, called respectively Saras- 
watee, Lakshmee, and Doorga or Devee. Brah- 
ma, the first person of this triad, was cursed by 
a god on account of his sins, and his worship 
ceased throughout the country long ago. Ac- 
cording to their Yeds, Yishnoo and Mahesh, or 
Shiva, as he is called sometimes, have been 
guilty of great sins too ; but the Hindoos, with 
characteristic inconsistency, continue to worship 
them. 

The worshipers of Yishnoo are more numerous 
than those of Mahesh. They believe he became 
incarnate several times, and in several different 
forms. He became a fish to fetch up the four 
Yeds, or principal scriptures, from the ocean in 
which they had been lost ; a tortoise to support 
the earth during a deluge ; once he took the 
form of a lion to kill a man ; and again he be-- 
came incarnate, by the name of Ram, to kill the 
King of Ceylon. The last time he will come, 
the Hindoos say, to punish all the wicked. 

Besides these two persons of the Hindoo 
triad, their wives, and incarnations, there are 
thousands of other gods, goddesses, and various 
objects of worship. The sun, moon, stars,* he- 
roes, mountains, rivers, trees, beasts, and reptiles 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 165 

are their gods. Even pens and instands are 
worshiped at certain times ; because, as they say, 
they obtain knowledge by them. 

Bathing is one of the most important duties 
Hindoos have to perform. "Without it, they 
will neither eat nor worship. 

At the time of bathing they worship the sun, 
by offering it water in both hands and address- 
ing it with prayers. There is a peculiar prayer 
which every strict Hindoo is bound to repeat 
three times a day. There is one for each of the 
four general castes, but that which is for the 
Brahmins is said to be the most efficacious. It is 
considered very sacred ; and a Brahmin will never 
repeat it before people of a lower caste. This 
prayer is said to procure the forgiveness of all 
sins and to make the heart perfectly holy. 

The following is a translation : " O earth, 
firmament, and heaven, we meditate on the 
great light of the sun ; may it enlighten our 
hearts." It has one merit at least, that of 
brevity. 

The worship of the gods through their repre- 
sentative idols is performed on this wise. The 
image, which is usually either of stone, brass, or 
clay, is set before them on a stand, when water 
is poured over it, that the god maybe bathed as 
well as the worshipers. They then make marks 
on its forehead with a sweet smelling colored 
wood, and also on their own foreheads and 



166 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

chests. They then place fragrant leaves and 
flowers before the image, and bnrn incense before 
it in a little brass cup. The incense is composed 
of the sweet smelling wood before mentioned 
and one or two other kinds, also camphor and 
butter. They then light a lamp and move it in 
a circular way three or four times before the 
image ; then present it offerings of sweatmeats, 
fruits, rice, etc. Before these offerings and the 
image they draw a curtain for a few moments, 
that the god may eat without embarrassment. 
Meanwhile a little bell is tinkling, and the peo- 
ple repeat hymns and count beads. 

After the worship, or "pooja," is over, the 
image is removed and put in a safe place, and 
the offerings (all that the god did not eat) are 
eaten by the officiating priests and their families. 

In the temples the idols are usually larger 
and stationary. Many, especially women, de- 
vote themselves to the worship of goddesses, 
especially that of Kalee and Doorga, or Devee, 
the wife of Shiva. The goddesses are said to 
be very bloodthirsty and cruel. In one of their 
Yeds, Kalee is said to be pleased for a thousand 
years by a human sacrifice, and for one hundred 
thousand, if three human beings are offered her 
at once. Male buffaloes are sacrificed to Door- 
ga, but she is far better pleased if a human head 
be offered her. Children were formerly kid- 
napped and sold for sacrifices. At the ordinary 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 167 

family pooja the women are not present, but 
hold service by themselves. On their holidays, 
however, and all extraordinary occasions, the 
women and children are mute observers. 

The most marked feature of the Hindoo re- 
ligion is caste. There are four principal castes : 
the Brahmins, or priests ; the chutrees, or sol- 
diers ; vyshees, or merchants ; and soodras. 
Each of these castes is subdivided into scores of 
others. Of the soodra caste are first the ky- 
arths, or writers, then farmers, shoemakers, 
blacksmiths, and many others. 

The Brahmins claim to be gods, and are so 
considered by others. People frequently pros- 
trate themselves at their feet, and they receive 
their worship with the greatest complacency. 
Many of the Brahmins do not eat any animal 
food, and are very strict in the observance of 
religious duties. These are called " bhauts," or 
saints ; others eat goat's flesh, fish, birds, etc. ; 
but on no account would a Hindoo of any caste 
eat beef. They consider the cow to be a very 
sacred animal, and they will not even touch a 
piece of its flesh. 

One of our missionaries was once reasoning 
with some Hindoos about their absurd notions 
in regard to the cow. " You drink her milk," 
said he, " and eat butter made from it ; why, 
then, should you not eat her flesh % " A Brah- 
min replied with a sarcastic sneer, " You drank 



168 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

your mother's milk, but did you also eat her 
flesh?" You perceive these people are not 
wanting in shrewdness. 

The different castes will by no means inter- 
marry, nor even eat with each other. The dis- 
tinction of caste is kept up with so great strict- 
ness that a man of low caste might be dying 
and one of a higher caste would not allow him 
to drink from his cup, as it would thereby be 
defiled. 

According to the claims of caste the son is 
not at liberty to follow any trade or profession 
that he likes, but must adhere to that which his 
father and forefathers have practiced before 
him ; doing otherwise would be followed by 
excommunication. This is the main reason 
why families are obliged to have so many serv- 
ants. A man of the kahar caste will carry a 
palkee, dust furniture, brush clothing, carry 
letters, etc. ; but he will not sweep the floors 
nor serve at tables, where, terrible to imagine, 
he might touch a plate that had beef on it. A 
dhobee also will wash and iron your clothing ; 
but he will not do any other work. 

The bheestees, or water-carriers, and the 
whole staff of table servants, are Mussulmans, 
who, although they have no caste, have never- 
theless plenty of custom, " dustoor " they call it, 
which will not allow them to do anything but 
their regular work. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 169 

Mohammedans, you are aware, are as deadly 
enemies to pork as are the Jews ; however, the 
bheestees fetch water to the houses in swine 
skins. These are neatly tanned and sewed up, 
and when filled with water and slung across the 
bheestees' backs, look marvelously like a new 
order of pigs. 

In India the patriarchal system prevails in 
regard to families. When the daughters are 
married they go, of course, to live with their 
husbands; but when the sons marry they do 
not leave their father's house ; they live with 
him, and continue under his direction and gov- 
ernment. All the earnings of the sons are 
handed over to the father, and he provides for 
all the wants of the household, and has the 
general oversight and management of it. 

The condition of females in India is truly 
pitiable. A Hindoo girl is never regarded as a 
member of her own father's family, but as be- 
longing to that of her future husband, so that 
in reality she has no home until she has fulfilled 
her chief end in life, that is, until she is mar- 
ried. That event, however, occurs early in her 
history. Betrothal takes place usually when 
the children are both young, and when the girl 
is thirteen or fourteen years of age the "puckah" 
marriage is celebrated. The bridegroom is 
usually a few years older than the bride. 

Of course where marriages are wholly planned 



170 SIX YEAES IN INDIA, 

by the parents, without the interested parties 
having even seen each other, happiness in that 
relation is the exception instead of the rule. 
The wife, however, is bound to her husband by 
strong ties, as her happiness in this world and in 
a future state is based upon her obedience to 
him. 

The Hindoo religion requires that if the hus- 
band die first the wife shall be burned with his 
corpse. In one of their sacred books is the fol- 
lowing proverb : " As many hairs as are in the 
human body multiplied by a crore and a half 
crore,* so many years will she live in heaven 
who dies with her husband." 

Although so very desirable a rite to Hindoo 
women, widow-burning, or "suttee," is prohib- 
ited by the British government, and Hindoo 
widows are now compelled to live on in a state 
of great unhappiness, not only because they 
cannot marry again, but because they are looked 
down upon with contempt, and have also the 
melancholy prospect of transmigrating into the 
body of some ill-favored bird or beast whenever 
they shall " shuffle off this mortal coil." 

A Hindoo girl receives no mental culture. 
She cannot even read in her own language. 
Learning is not considered necessary for her, as 
she is not expected to be a companion to her 
husband. Her duty is merely to attend to house- 

* A crore is equal to ten millions. 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 171 

hold matters and sew on very plain garments. 
Most of the sewing, however, is done by men of 
the tailor caste. 

The family washing, too, is usually given out 
to men of the dhobee caste, and as the houses 
are destitute of windows and nearly so of furni- 
ture, and as their food is extremely simple, 
Hindoo women are spared much of the toil 
which wears upon the wives and mothers of our 
own land. 

Hindoos generally have but two meals a day, 
taking the first at mid-day. They pursue their 
various callings until eleven o'clock A. M., 
when they adjourn to a river, tank, or well, as 
the case may be, to perform their morning ab- 
lutions. They then have their pooja and their 
breakfast ; and after a comfortable time with the 
native pipe, or hookah, they again go forth to 
their labors till the evening. Then they have 
dinner, another peaceful season with the hookah, 
and betake themselves to their simple bedstead. 
They have no beds, but merely a fine cording 
over their bedsteads and a blanket on it. They 
often sleep in the open air. The women do not 
eat with the male members of the family, but 
serve them first, and then have their own 
meals. 

A Hindoo never mentions his wife by that 
term, nor by her name. He speaks of her if 
she have children, as the mother of the oldest 



172 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

son, as "Nundoo kee ma," that is, Nundoo's 
mother. If she have no children he simply says 
"she" or "my family." The wife likewise 
never mentions her husband's name, but speaks 
of him as the "child's father," or "he" or 
" mine." 

I have mentioned the native dress in my pre- 
vious letters, so that I need not say much on 
that subject. I will merely add that the women 
I have met in this section of country wear more 
ornaments than those I have formerly seen. 
Sometimes there is a ring entirely round the ear, 
from which clusters of pendants fall, quite con- 
cealing the entire ear. Their arms are often 
literally covered with bracelets. They wear 
rings in their noses varying in size from a dollar 
to the rim of a saucer; necklets, anklets, and 
toe-rings. On these last there are sometimes 
little bells, and the dusky wearers "make a 
tinkling as they go." Sometimes these orna- 
ments are of gold and silver, but oftener they 
are of a white metal of inferior quality, and 
even of glass and tinsel. 

Women sometimes smoke the hookah, but 
chewing "pawn" seems to be their grand re- 
source against lassitude. 

Pawn is put up in packages and sold in the 
market all ready for use, as regularly as rice or 
any article of food. It is composed of a piece 
of betelnut, cardamoms, cloves, and a little lime, 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 173 

all nicely wrapped in a pawnleaf and pinned 
together with a thorn. One of these suffices for 
the whole space between meals, and the use of 
it dyes the teeth a bright red, which is thought 
to be so becoming that the Hindoo women also 
dye their finger and toe-nails, the palms of their 
hands and the soles of their feet the same color. 

In consequence of their utter lack of educa- 
tion, native women are necessarily frivolous, and 
childish in the extreme. Their tempers are un- 
governable, and when angry they sometimes 
attempt to commit suicide. 

I will now give you some description of their 
marriage, natal, and funeral ceremonies; but 
there are many meaningless rites not worth a 
full description. 

According to the Hindoo Shasters (sacred 
writings) a girl is marriageable when she is 
seven years old. When parents wish their 
daughter to bs married they call together their 
nearest relatives, and request them to select a 
boy for her from some desirable family. 

The friends consult together and fix upon a 
boy. The family priest then procures the boy's 
horoscope and compares it with that of the girl, 
and if he considers the marriage will be an au- 
spicious one he is sent with the family barber 
to the boy's house with presents, and if they are 
obliged to pay a certain sum, one fourth of the 
amount is also sent at that time. If the boy's 



174 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

parents are agreed they all perform " pooja " 
together, after which a mark is put upon the 
boy's forehead, and his father makes small 
presents to all in the house. This ceremony is 
called "teeka." 

In a few days the priest of the bride's family 
makes out a paper, on which the days for the 
wedding ceremonies are written. A duplicate 
is sent to the boy's father, who proceeds at once 
to make preparations, issue invitations, etc. 
When the first day arrives the bridegroom, with 
a procession of his male relatives and friends, 
proceeds to the bride's house. They are gen- 
erally accompanied by several musicians, so 
called, and one or two dancing girls. They 
also take fireworks, which are let off when they 
arrive at the bride's house. 

The bridegroom then sends his barber on 
before with a small present. The barber is en- 
tertained with sweetmeats, and sent back again. 
The father of the bride, with some near rela- 
tives, then goes out to meet the procession, and 
when they meet the father touches the feet of 
the bridegroom, puts a yellow mark on his fore- 
head, and makes him presents. He then washes 
the bridegroom's feet, and gives him and those 
who are with him "sherbet," that is, lemonade, 
to drink. 

When the auspicious moment arrives the 
bridegroom and his friends are received by the 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 175 

bride's father, the bride, and her near relatives 
in a rude shed that has five props. One of these 
props is in the center and is very important. 
After several very trifling rites the priest burns 
incense, and the bride's father presents the young 
couple with a piece of yellow cloth each. After 
several other ceremonies the upper garments of 
the bride and bridegroom are joined with a 
knot. Then follows "pooja" and making of 
presents. The priest then builds a small altar 
between the central post of the shed and the 
young couple, and after repeating the names of 
the sun, fire, water, etc., he burns incense upon 
it. A near relative of the bridegroom now 
throws a large cloth over the bride and bride- 
groom, and quite a round of puerile observances 
is gone through with. After this the priest of 
the bride's family addresses the bridegroom as 
follows : 

" The bride says to you, ' If you live happy, 
keep me happy also ; if you are in trouble, I will 
be in trouble too; you must support me, and 
must not leave me when I suffer ; you must al- 
ways keep me with you, and pardon all my 
faults, and you must not perform your religious 
duties without me; you must not defraud me 
regarding conjugal love ; you must have nothing 
to do with another woman while I live; you 
must consult me in all that you do, and you 
must always tell me the truth; Yishnoo, fire, 



176 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

and the Brahmins are witnesses between you 
and me.' " 

To this the bridegroom replies: "I will all 
my life do jnst as the bride requires of me. But 
she must also make me some promises. She 
must go with me through suffering and trouble, 
and must always be obedient to me ; she must 
never go to her father's house unless she is asked 
by him, and when she sees another in better cir- 
cumstances or better favored than I am she must 
not despise or slight me." 

To this the bride answers : " I will all my life 
do just as you require of me ; Yishnoo, fire, and 
the Brahmins are witnesses between us." 

After this the bridegroom takes water and 
sprinkles the bride's head, while the priest re- 
peats invocations. They then both bow before 
the sun in worship. 

After a few more trifling ceremonies the 
" shadee," as it is called, is completed, and the 
priest puts a mark on the foreheads of the young 
pair, blesses them, takes his dues and his de- 
parture. The bride and bridegroom then return 
to their separate homes and live as before, with 
their parents. 

The concluding ceremonies are performed in 
the third, fifth, seventh, or ninth year succeed- 
ing the " shadee." These latter ceremonies con- 
stitute the " gauna," or puckah marriage. They 
are only two in number, and are very simple. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 177 

The bride and bridegroom are presented each 
with a small smooth board ; the bride sits on 
the bridegroom's, and he on that belonging to 
the bride ; then women relatives of the bride 
put little tinkling bells on her toes, and also 
place a chudder over her. The bride is then 
taken away in a little covered vehicle, drawn by- 
two bullocks, to the residence of her husband. 
When she leaves her friends she is expected to 
cry bitterly, else it will be said of her that she 
has no affection for them. I have myself list- 
ened to the bride's strange made-up cries as she 
was being driven off to her new home. 

Another tedious round of ceremonies is gone 
through with upon the arrival of the newly 
wedded pair at their future residence. 



NATAL CEKEMONIES. 

These begin immediately upon the birth of 
a child. The family priest is called for at once, 
who foretells the future of the child without 
seeing either it or the mother. 

After this " Granesh " and the planets are wor- 
shiped, and the father of the child makes pres- 
ents to the priest and to his relatives. On the 
sixth day a certain god is believed to come and 
write the child's future or fate (" kissmat ") on 
its forehead, and they consequently have several 
ceremonies and a feast for the friends of the family. 
12 



178 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

At night the women of the family make an 
image of clay, fasten it against the wall, and 
worship it. They then put one or two garments 
on the child, (it has heretofore been merely 
wrapped in a cloth,) and some rings on its wrists 
and ancles. 

On the twenty-seventh day after the birth of 
the child they take water from twenty-seven 
different wells, and twenty-seven different kinds 
of leaves, and place in an earthen vessel in 
twenty-seven different compartments. After 
this, incense is bnrned, and a blanket is held up 
over the mother and child and the water from 
the earthern vessel is poured on the blanket, 
when it runs through, of course, on to them. 

FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 

"When a person dies his friends present a 
black cow, or its equivalent in money, to a cer- 
tain Brahmin whose duty it is to attend to the 
corpse. Sometimes when a person is dying the 
leaves of the sacred toolshee tree and some 
Ganges water are put in his mouth, and a small 
image of a god called Saligran, on his breast. 
The dying man then repeats "Ram, Ram." 

The Hindoos of Northern India burn their 
dead. On the death of a man his son, or whoever 
is to set fire to the funeral pile, makes a ball of 
some dough of barley-flour and puts it into the 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 179 

right hand of the corpse. The body is wrapped 
in cloth, placed on a bamboo frame-work, and 
four men carry it to the place for burning, 
which is usually by a stream. As they go along 
they keep repeating " Earn sach hai," " Earn 
sach hai ;" that is, " Earn is true." 

When they place the body on the funeral pile 
they put a little gold and clarified butter into 
its mouth, and then lay a piece of chandan wood 
on its breast. The person that sets fire to the 
pile shaves his face and head, except the tuft of 
hair on the top, and for ten days must not touch 
any one. 

When the body is half consumed they pour 
a little ghee on the head and break it with bam- 
boos, and when the flesh is quite consumed, they 
quench the fire and throw the bones into the 
Ganges, or if they are at a distance from that 
stream, they gather the bones and keep them 
till some member of the family goes to bathe in 
the " sacred river," when he carries them and 
casts them into its waters. They clear off the 
spot where the burning took place, and write 
Earn, Earn in the sand. 

I have made this sketch brief as possible, but 
I hope not too much so to be uninteresting to 
you. Please bear in mind that Hindoo cere- 
monies vary among different castes and locali- 
ties, and you may meet with descriptions of them 
differing from these, which are still just as cor- 



180 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

rect. We have never witnessed all the marriage 
or funeral ceremonies, but wedding processions 
and burning of corpses are matters of daily 
occurrence. 

SEASONS AND OEOPS. 

We have, in reality, only three seasons in In- 
dia, the hot, rainy, and cold; but the terms 
spring and autumn are often used. 

The hot season extends from about the mid- 
dle of March till the latter part of June, when 
the rainy season commences and the hot wind 
subsides. The grains which were sown in Octo- 
ber and November are harvested in March and 
April, and this constitutes the "rubbee," or 
spring harvest. Wheat, potatoes, peas, etc., 
ripen at this time. 

The trees renew their leaves during these 
months, but the change is so gradual that it 
would scarcely be noticed but for the large quan- 
tities of dead leaves that are gathered up daily 
in the groves and used for fuel. 

During the hot season dust storms are of fre- 
quent occurrence, and are sometimes of great 
violence. Large trees are split, and even torn 
up by the roots, and carried some distance. Some 
years the rains are withheld, and the merchants 
raise the price of grain till there is much distress 
among the people. A fine shower will often 
lower prices considerably. Other years the rains 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 181 

are so plentiful that rivers, tanks, and ponds 
overflow large tracts of country, and render 
traveling difficult, and even dangerous. Villages 
are sometimes swept away, and great destruction 
of life and property ensues. Reptiles and insects 
abound, and many die from their bites and stings. 

In August and September is the " khareef," 
or autumn harvest, when Indian cereals, rice, 
etc., are gathered in. The rains sensibly lessen 
during these months, and close about the last of 
September. The sun shines almost continuously, 
and with great heat, and from the steaming 
vegetation there rises a malaria that causes much 
sickness among the people, Europeans as well as 
natives. 

The intervening months between the rainy 
and hot seasons constitute our cold season, which 
is delightfully cool and invigorating. Cool 
bracing nights, and bright sunny days, render 
existence a luxury and renovate the physical 
system. 



182 • SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 



LETTER XIY. 

Missionary "Work in Budaon — Girls' School — Itineratings — 
Hot Season — Tattees — Small Pox — Journey to Nynee 
Tal — Sickness in the Mission — Death of Jesse R. Pierce — 
Return to Budaon. 

Budaon, April 20, 1860. 

My Dear Mother, — I must tell you in this 
letter something of our work in this place. Our 
native catechist is Joseph Angelo, a member of 
the little society of native Christians belonging 
to the Church of England at Bareilly. He was 
formerly a Roman Catholic, but concluded that 
was but little better than to be a Hindoo, so he 
became a Protestant. He is a very efficient 
helper in many respects, but does not possess so 
much influence among the natives as is desira- 
ble. Mary, his wife, is an energetic, capable 
woman, and a very good teacher. 

I commenced a school soon after we came 
here, on what is called by some the "bribing 
system," as an experiment. It is extremely dif- 
ficult to persuade the natives to let their daugh- 
ters come to us to be taught. They think it 
wholly unnecessary for women to be able to 
read, and even regard it as a disreputable ac- 
quisition, since dancing girls and others of ques- 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 185 

tionable character, are the only ones among 
them who are possessed of this knowledge. 

We try to convince them that their daughters 
will make better wives and mothers if they are 
more intelligent ; bnt they answer, " It is all very 
well for the sahib logue," that is, the white peo- 
ple ; " it is your custom, but it is not ours, and 
we don't wish to change." They object, too, 
that their girls earn one or two anas a day by 
picking cotton or gathering sticks, or whatever 
it may be, and they cannot afford to have them 
lose two hours every morning for school. So I 
said to them, " I will pay your girls one pice 
each for coming to school two hours regularly 
every day." 

I engaged twelve young girls in that way, and 
could have engaged fifty more, I dare say, but 
that number was sufficient for the experiment 
and for the means in hand. 

There are also six Christian children, two 
from one of the Christian families we found 
here, and four belonging to our native catechist ; 
so I have a school of eighteen children, all girls 
except three. 

We, that is Mary and I, go into the school- 
room every morning at seven o'clock. We first 
read and explain a few verses from the Bible, 
then all join in singing a verse or two and kneel 
in prayer. After the leading prayer all join in 
repeating, " Our Father, who art in heaven," etc. 



186 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

We then teach the children hymns, and the sim- 
plest questions of the catechism,, These opening 
exercises occupy about half an hour. 

For one hour we then teach them to read and 
spell, and two or three of the Christian children 
to write ; then half an hour is spent in plain 
sewing, which they very soon learn. I pay them 
every Saturday morning six pice each, which 
make one and a half anas, or four cents and a 
half! 

This sum, though small, is of considerable im- 
portance to them, and will help them a great 
deal, as the cloth and grain they buy are of cheap, 
coarse quality. 

Several of them have paid so much attention 
to my remarks about cleanliness and neatness in 
dress, that instead of spending their money for 
sweetmeats they save up their anas until they 
have enough to purchase themselves some new 
article of dress. One appeared in a spotless 
new chudder, another in a new skirt, etc. 

The Christian children learn rapidly, but the 
twelve little Hindoo children were wild as hares 
when they began to attend school, and I have 
found it very difficult to interest them in books. 
Two or three of them are very bright, and will 
soon become good scholars ; but the others are 
rather dull. 

One morning several of the girls came very 
late, and when they entered the school-room 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 187 

looked very serious. When I asked what had 
delayed them, they all came right to me leading 
one of their number along rather forcibly. They 
said, " Mem sahib, this girl got very angry and 
behaved very wickedly ; she tried to throw her- 
self in a well ! " One of them ventured to say 
that she would have gone to a very bad place 
indeed if she had succeeded, didn't the mem 
sahib think so ? I talked with them some time, 
until the little culprit said she should never, 
never try to do so wicked a thing again. 

Mr. H. and Joseph have a boys' school in the 
city, with over sixty boys in attendance ; but we 
lack in efficient teachers. Joseph does very well 
for young boys, but is scarcely advanced enough 
himself to teach those who, having already 
learned to read, are ready to take up mathema- 
tics, geography, etc. 

We have commenced a mission chapel near 
our house, quite a large sum having been sub- 
scribed by the English residents of Budaon for 
this purpose. This, of course, involves more 
labor for Mr. H. ; but we must have such buildings 
at our mission stations, and much work of this 
kind falls necessarily on the pioneer missionary. 

The interest manifested in the preaching by 
the people in the city still continues. They 
gather by hundreds whenever Mr. H. and Jo- 
seph take their stand and commence reading or 
talking. Often two, three, or four men come 



188 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

up to the Sabbath services on the mission prem- 
ises. But they all seem very wary, and do not 
intend to become Christians, nor to be made 
such by any arts of legerdemain. 

The hot wind commenced earlier than usual 
this year, and we expect a most trying season in 
consequence. It fairly shrieks around the house, 
and if by any mischance I catch a stray breath 
as the servants come in, it seems to scorch my 
face and eyeballs like the heat of an oven. 
Night and day the punkahs are kept in motion, 
and we have also put up what is called a tattee. 
It is a mat of the fragrant kuskus grass, made 
on a frame and fitted in a westerly doorway, the 
door itself being fastened back. 

The bheestee keeps this wet by throwing 
water on it from the outside, and the hot wind 
rushes through it, transformed into a cool re- 
freshing breeze. The punkah then sends this 
cooled air all over the house. 

This plan would seem to be very desirable, 
but in our case we found it to be most perni- 
cious. We had colds, catarrhs, and neuralgias 
in abundance, and were obliged to give it up. 

Small-pox broke out in Budaon the first of 
this month, and spread rapidly among the 
swarming multitudes in the city. An English 
gentleman in the house next to us had it quite 
severely, and it also made its appearance on our 
own premises in the family of the sweeper. He 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 189 

continued, however, to come to his work daily, 
until we learned of the state of affairs from our 
catechist, and forbade him the house. 

Europeans are not so fearful of this dread 
disease as our people at home, or else, like the 
Orientals, they have learned to submit patiently 
to their u kismat." No one seems to think of 
taking any further precaution than to see that 
every member of the family is vaccinated. 

Native vaccinators are also sent forth from tjie 
hospitals into the cities and villages to vaccinate 
the people, and thousands submit to the opera- 
tion, although they are somewhat afraid of it. 
Some are suspicious that in some mysterious 
way the Christian - religion may be infused ! 
Others suspect it is to test people's loyalty, and 
suppose that the vaccinators can tell from the 
quality of the blood who are friends to govern- 
ment and who are foes ! We hear of some sick- 
ness in our mission even so early in the season. 

When we removed to this place Mr. and Mrs. 
Waugh removed from Shahjehanpore to Ba- 
reilly, and Mr. Baume and family removed from 
Lucknow to Shahjehanpore. A daughter was 
born to them in February, and has recently 
died. They are alone in the mission at S., as 
are we here. So long as we remain well we do 
not mind being alone so very much, as constant 
occupation keeps us from loneliness ; but there is 
always a trembling anxiety when illness comes, 



190 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

and a strong desire for the presence of other 
missionaries. 

Mrs. Parker, of Bijnour, has been suffering 
from severe illness, and has already been obliged 
to take refuge in Nynee Tal. My own health 
begins to suffer from the intense heat, and we 
have concluded that I ought to spend May and 
June in the hills, and so escape the debilitating 
effect of the hot wind. 

Nynee Tal, June 11, 1860. 

You perceive, dear mother, there is quite a 
gap in my dates. My health failed so rapidly 
that I left Budaon sooner than I expected. Mr. 
H. took me over to Bareilly in his buggy, and 
after a delightful visit with our friends, sent me 
alone from there to Nynee Tal. 

I left Bareilly at nine o'clock P. M., and had 
a lonely journey in my palkee to Pampore, which 
I reached in about twelve hours. I stopped at 
the little dak bungalow which the nawab of 
Pampore keeps open for the accommodation of 
European travelers. The heat was so intense I 
could only remain quietly in the bungalow all 
day, till the evening coolness should enable me 
to go on. 

The servants were very respectful and attent- 
ive, but I could not help feeling ill at ease 
through the day. 

The khansamah brought me an excellent din- 
ner, and a cup of tea just as I was about to 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 191 

leave, but would accept no payment, it was 
against " his highness's " orders ; and, wonder of 
wonders ! the ever-ready cry of " buksheesh " 
was also missing. The servants, however, did 
not refuse a small present each, and made me 
profound salams when I departed. 

I traveled the ensuing night without further 
incident than the requests for buksheesh when- 
ever the kahars changed, and the screams of 
jackals. I reached Kaludoongee, at the foot of 
the hills, about eight o'clock in the morning, 
where I found nine paharees and a jhaumpaun 
waiting for me. Half way up the hill I found 
our bachelor missionary, Mr. Thoburn, who had 
kindly come down to meet me. 

I was glad to see the cheerful green little val- 
ley and grand old hills of JSTynee Tal again, and 
O how invigorating were the deliciously cool 
mountain breezes ! The lake looked greener 
and smaller than ever, and the cottages on the 
mountain slopes were resplendent with new 
paint. The lieutenant-governor and his suite 
are spending the season here, and the buildings 
have been put in better repair than usual, per- 
haps on that account. 

Mr. Knowles and family occupy half the mis- 
sion house, and the other half has had quite a 
number of occupants since I came up. Mr. and 
Mrs. Parker, Dr. Butler and family, Mrs. Pierce 
and children, Mr. Humphrey and myself, have 



192 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

helped to keep the rooms well filled. Dr. But- 
ler's family remained only a week, with the ex- 
ception of their two boys, who are still in my care. 

Mrs. Pierce came the sixteenth of May, in the 
vain hope of saving the life of her little boy of 
eighteen months. He had been very healthy 
until he came to the ordeal of teething, and 
even then kept pretty well until the hot weather 
came on, when he was seized with fever. The 
sweet little sufferer was too far gone to rally. 
He lived only nine days after they arrived. 
You can understand somewhat how sad it was 
for Mrs. Pierce to bury her darling here alone. 
She suffered much in her own health from her 
unremitting care of the child, and after he was 
buried she was ill for several days. She was 
able to acquiesce sweetly in the divine will, al- 
though her heart was sorely stricken by the be- 
reavement. She and little Rilla have returned 
to Lucknow. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have also 
returned to Bijnour. 

Mr. Humphrey came up the last of May. We 
intend to return to Budaon so soon as the " chota 
barsat " shall have quenched the scorching rag- 
ing winds that are sweeping over the plains. 

I am advised to remain here through the sea- 
son, but I do not like to be separated from my 
husband longer than is absolutely necessary, and 
my health is so much improved now that I hope 
to remain well throughout the season. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 193 



LETTEK XV. 

Unusual Heat — Drought — Famine — Strange Yagaries of Hin- 
dooism — Service x)f the Church of England — Anglo- Ver- 
nacular School — School for Boys of the Sweeper Caste — 
Illness — A Friend in Need — Convalescence — Hindoo 
Fair — Cold Season — Famine Orphans — Christmas Observ- 
ances — Annual Meeting — Removal to Bareilly. 

Btjdaon, August 15, 1860. 

My Dear Mother, — Immediately after the 
first rain fell in June we left Nynee Tal for 
Budaon, where we arrived on the morning of 
the 27th. Instead of the usual rains through 
July and August, we have only had occasional 
showers, which cool the atmosphere temporarily, 
but have little effect upon the earth. 

There is, therefore, much distress among the 
people, as the grain merchants promptly brought 
the prices up to famine rates. Many poor peo- 
ple have sold their children to rich meu, for two 
and three rupees each, openly in our streets ! 
There have also been cases of robbery and com- 
mittal to jail, when the only motive of the of- 
fender was to get into a place where he would 
receive food ? 

Our mischievous neighbors, the apes, make 
frequent forays into the blighted crops to appease 
their hunger, although, wonderful as it may 
13 



194 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

seem, the grain merchants bring bags of wheat 
to the groves inhabited by these creatures, and 
feed them, while men, women, and children are 
starving all around. They are under no obliga- 
tion to feed people of low caste, but apes must 
not be allowed to suffer ! They also place grain, 
sugar, and salt by the ant hills for the benefit of 
ants ! 

I have not been able to recommence my school 
since my return, as my health is so unreliable at 
this season. 

Mr. H. holds the boys' Anglo-vernacular 
school in our chapel now, which is finished and 
dedicated. It is a small " puckah " building 
with a portico in front. We hold Hindoostanee 
services in it every Sabbath morning, and En- 
glish services in the evening. I have not men- 
tioned to you, I think, that we have held a 
service in English ever since we have been 
here. The occasion of it is this : there is no 
chaplain stationed here, and the few European 
residents wished Mr. H. to hold one service on 
the Sabbath for them. He reads the service of 
the Church of England and delivers a short 
discourse. 

We have a boys' school in the city, pupiled 
wholly by boys of the mihtar, or sweeper caste, 
the lowest strata of Hindooism. The poor lads 
have had much difficulty in getting into mixed 
schools on account of their degraded condition, 



SIX TEARS IN INDIA. 195 

so they have come into this school in numbers so 
large as to monopolize it. 

Joseph Angelo has returned to Bareilly, and 
we have in his stead Enoch Burge, a native 
preacher, formerly of the American Presbyterian 
Mission in Futteghur. He has an excellent 
wife, three intelligent sons, and one little 
daughter. 

Babielly, May 21, 1861. 

My Dear Mother, — I am grateful to my 
heavenly Father that I am permitted to write 
you again. He has raised me from the bed of 
sickness, and restored me to a good degree of 
health again. I suffered from fever most of the 
early part of September, I860, and was in con- 
sequence prematurely confined of a son on the 
13th. He remained with us only a few days, 
and then the little pure spirit returned to Him 
who gave it. 

This deep disappointment and sorrow, added 
to the depressing influence of the intense heat, 
was of course unfavorable to me, and to my 
husband's grief at our loss was soon added great 
anxiety on my account. 

The day our little one was buried I began to 
suffer excessively from faintness and difficulty 
of breathing, and at one time I was so very low 
that I gave up all hope of recovery. For sev- 
eral days I hovered on the borders of the spirit- 
world ; but it pleased God to so bless the reme- 



196 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

dies used, and the tender care I was favored with, 
that I began to rally, and after a tedious con- 
valescence recovered my strength. 

Our dear, kind friend, Mrs. Waugh, came over 
from Bareilly immediately upon hearing of my 
illness, and remained until I began decidedly 
to mend. You may well believe she was 5 a 
great comfort to us both through this trying 
season. 

Clara, Enoch's wife, was also very kind, and 
manifested so much love and sympathy that I 
felt my heart not only drawn out more strongly 
toward her, but also toward native women gen- 
erally, since I had such proof of their true 
womanliness and capacity for good. 

Toward the last of November the usual 
melas, or fairs, were held by the Hindoos at dif- 
ferent points on the Ganges. 

Mr. Knowles, who removed to Bareilly in 
October last, and Joseph Fieldbrave, came over 
and accompanied Mr. H. and Enoch Burge to 
that point on the Ganges where the people as- 
sembled from this region of country. They had 
a stirring time at the great mela, preaching to 
multitudes and distributing tracts and gospels. 
It was estimated that at least one hundred and 
fifty thousand people were present. 

The cold season was delightful, and but for 
the continued famine our surroundings would 
have been so ; but it was very painful to witness 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 197 

so -much suffering that we could do but little to 
alleviate. The English residents have raised a 
relief fund, from which distributions of rice, 
flour, etc, are made daily; but as these distribu- 
tions are in the cities, the poor villagers in the 
district cannot profit much by it, and many have 
died from starvation. We are beginning to 
gather famine orphans into our orphanages. 
Two boys have been recently forwarded to Ba- 
reilly by us. Their case is quite interesting. 
They came to our verandah one cold bright 
morning in December, and startled me, as I was 
reading quietly by the fire, by a sharp plaintive 
call, " Mem sahib, we are dying from hunger | 
please give us food." I went out and found two 
boys, evidently not professional beggars, shiver- 
ing in the keen air. The elder boy looked about 
ten years of age, and had a frank, earnest coun 
tenance. A bundle of tattered garments was 
tied to his neck, in order that his arms might be 
free to carry the other boy, a poor emaciated 
child apparently about two years of age. The 
hungry look in their eyes went to my heart. 

" Will you eat some bread ? " I asked, for I 
saw they were Hindoos, but I could not tell 
their caste. 

" O yes ! " said the elder boy, " I will be very 
glad to, and so will my brother, for he can't eat 
the coarse bread which the people sometimes 
give us." 



198 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

I gave them each a slice of bread, and told 
them to sit down and eat, and afterward they 
conld tell me why they came to the mission honse. 
They had said they were from a village ten miles 
away. 

" We want to stay here," spoke up the elder 
boy at once. 

The little boy scarcely knew whether the 
strange, light white substance was designed to 
be eateu or not. He ate a small piece, and find- 
ing it to be very good, stuffed his mouth so full 
that he could not chew it. So his brother kind- 
ly broke off small mouthfuls, and fed him the 
whole piece before he ate his own. 

Their story was a sad one. " A long time 
ago," said the elder boy, " I don't know how 
long, my father and mother died of starvation. 
They had been weak and ill for some time, and 
then there was no one to go begging for food 
but me, and I did not get much, for the neigh- 
bors were all so poor. One morning, when my 
little brother and I awoke, they were both dead. 
I carried my brother to a neighbor's house, and 
used to take him all around to the villagers and 
beg for food. The people were very kind, and 
always shared their food with us, and, till the 
grass dried up so that the cows gave no milk, 
they gave my brother milk occasionally. When 
we could no longer get a little milk, I sometimes 
got rice or a little dal, and boiled till very ten- 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 199 

der, and fed him, but now for many days I could 
get only coarse bread, and so be bas become 
very tbin and ill. Two days ago a man told 
me that there was a padre sahib in Budaon who 
took orphan children and provided for them, so 
I have brought my brother all the way in my 
arms, and we may stay here, mayn't we?" I 
assured him that he might, if his story proved 
to be true, and I sent a servant with them at 
once to make inquiries at the police station. 
He ascertained that they were really orphans, 
and wholly destitute of friends, so there was 
nothing to prevent our taking charge of them. 
We kept them over a week in order to make 
up some clothes for them, and to give the little 
one time to recruit. It was touching to see the 
rare unselfishness of Gtulab, the elder boy. He 
seemed grateful for his own good food and cloth- 
ing, but appeared to take far more delight in 
his brother's bettered circumstances. "In a 
few days," said he, " he will be able to walk 
again, and then he will grow fat and strong. 
When they left for Bareilly he could walk a 
little, and the starved expression was gone from 
his eyes ; but he will probably never be very 
strong. 

Christmas morning gifts came pouring in 
from our Hindoostanee teachers and friends in 
the city, and we learned that the natives, know- 
ing this to be a " burra din," that is, a great 



200 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

day with Europeans, usually make them presents 
and pay them their respects on that day. The 
gifts are generally flat baskets tastefully covered 
with lemons, oranges, pomegranates, raisins, 
almonds, grapes, and small cones of white su- 
gar. A servant bearing the presents usually 
precedes the donor, who, having deposited the 
basket on the floor near the " sahib," quietly 
retires. The native gentleman then comes to 
the door, where he takes off his shoes and en- 
ters the room barefoot. He does not uncover 
his head, however, as that would be considered 
a mark of disrespect. He then bows nearly to 
the floor, at the same time raising his right hand 
to his forehead, and says, " Salam, sahib," that 
is, Peace be with you, sir. After he is seated he 
inquires, " Is your honor's temper good ? " after 
which they chat on various subjects. It is not 
allowable to ask after a person's health unless 
he is ill, and on no account may you ask a native 
gentleman if his wife and children are well. If 
on very intimate terms with him you may in- 
quire if his house are well, meaning of course 
its inmates. Indeed, there is no word in the 
Hindoostanee language to express the relation 
of wife. 

Just here let me explain. As a general rule 
a native does not make a present from mere 
good-will. He has usually some good to him- 
self in view. Give, " hoping for nothing again," 



SIX YEARS IK INDIA. 201 

is no part of his creed. It would rather run, 
" Give, hoping to receive threefold." 

Our teachers would like higher salaries, our 
servants higher wages, or, what they value more, 
" buksheesh." Our native acquaintances see 
that we are on friendly term with the magistrates 
and judges, and so think it politic to propitiate 
us, as they may some time wish to have the ben- 
efit of our influence with those magnates. There 
are, however, exceptions to this rule. Many 
natives undoubtedly are sincerely attached to 
the missionaries, and believe them to be promot- 
ing the welfare of the people. 

We held service about midday, and in the 
evening all met in the chapel again and had a 
little entertainment, designed more particularly 
for the six children of our little community, 
but which the adults seemed to enjoy as well. 

The doors of the chapel were festooned with 
wreaths of green leaves, and some presents for 
the children were hung on a small tree which 
had been purloined from a grove hard by. 
Oranges, lemons, and confectionary helped to 
give the tree a very captivating appearance to 
the eyes of the children. 

We all partook of cakes and tea first, after 
which Enoch went into the altar, and, with many 
witty remarks about the singular tree which 
bore so many kinds of fruit, distributed the 
gifts. As there were several presents for each 



202 SIX YEABS IN INDIA. 

of the children, they had quite a merry time 
going to the altar to receive them, and then 
making their salams in acknowledgement. 

When the distribution was over, Enoch's two 
eldest boys repeated some hymns and portions 
of Scripture, and we all joined in singing a 
Christmas hymn to the tune of " Happy Day," 
which, with a deal of trouble in the selection of 
words, I had composed for the occasion. 

After prayer we separated, well pleased with 
the result of the little effort put forth to com- 
memorate the day. 

January passed away without note, except 
that Mr. Cowie, the chaplain of Bareilly, came 
over to Budaon and held communion service for 
the English residents. It was a very pleasant 
season. We were allowed to join with mem- 
bers of the Church this time, in commemorating 
the death and sufferings of our common Lord. 
Mr. Cowie handed over the sacramental collec- 
tion to Mr. Humphrey for the mission school. 

We visited a famous temple one day, the only 
one of note in the city, which is now used as a 
mosque by Mohammedans. It is said to be a 
very ancient edifice, built by the Hindoos, but 
wrested from them by the Mohammedans. Out- 
wardly it is merely a plain large temple, brown 
and mossy with age, but the interior is beautiful. 

Under the immense dome is a large room en- 
closed only on three sides, the fourth opening 



SIS YEARS IN INDIA. 203 

on a spacious platform, which, with the floor of 
the room, is paved with marble. The walls are 
covered with quaint and beautiful mouldings 
and frescoes, and in numerous places are inscribed 
with the name of God — Allah. 

The Mohammedans shame us by their open 
attachment to their religion. Eo matter what 
a faithful Mussulman is doing, when the muez- 
zin's cry sounds out from the mosques he drops 
his work or ceases to bargain, and turning his 
face toward Mecca, bows humbly to the ground 
and repeats a formula of prayer. 

Many things indeed meet our eyes daily that 
remind us that the Bible is an Eastern book. 
This Mohammedan custom of praying in the 
streets and shops is very like that of the proud 
Pharisees, who prayed to be seen of men. 

All the grains are ground by hand-mills, and 
the work is mostly done by women, the aged 
mothers and widows. We hear the " sound of 
the grinding " early in the morning as we pass 
the houses of the natives, and we are reminded 
of the passage, " Two women shall be grinding 
at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other 
left." 

Then, too, the women of the lower castes 
come to the wells to draw water, bearing their 
curiously- shaped pitchers (ghurrahs) on their 
heads, like Rebekah of old. The flat roofs of 
the " puckah " houses — whither the natives, espe- 



204 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

cially the women, resort in the evening — the 
bridal processions, all seem strangely natural to 
us, so like are they to the scenes delineated in 
holy writ. 

The first of February we started for Bareilly, 
where our annual meeting was to be held. We 
traveled by marches, making but ten miles a 
day, Mr. H. and Enoch preaching by the way. 
We reached Bareilly the third day, and pitched 
our tent on the new mission premises near can- 
tonments which are now adorned by a very fine 
kotee occupied by Dr. Butler. Another house, 
a bungalow, was in process of erection, and also 
some buildings for the boys' orphanage. 

On the mission " compound," as such inclos- 
ures are called here, several tents were standing, 
for we were each to " keep house," and meet in 
Dr. Butler's library for our sessions and religious 
services. Our missionary band were all present 
except Mrs. Judd and Mr. Thoburn. Mr. Par- 
sons had gone out from us. He left early in the 
year and joined a Baptist mission. 

The annual meeting was very interesting. 
Joel, Enoch, Thomas, Zahoor-ul-Huqq, and two 
or three other native catechists preached, and 
several orphan boys were baptized-. Mrs. Pierce 
and Mrs. Downey gave very favorable accounts 
of the state of the orphanages. The missiona- 
ries reported their fields of labor, schools, con- 
verts, inquirers, etc. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 205 

When we broke up it was with a feeling of 
deep sympathy for each other and of united 
interest in our work. 

As we were appointed to Bareilly, I did not 
return to Budaon. I spent most of the interim 
between the annual meeting and Mr. Hum- 
phrey's return with our goods, at Cashmere Ko- 
tee. "When he arrived we pitched a large tent 
and occupied it till the first of March, when Dr. 
Butler removed his family to Nynee Tal, and 
we took possession of part of the house they 
had occupied. 

The first week of April Mr. and Mrs. Waugh 
and Mrs. Downey, with the orphan boys and the 
whole staff of native teachers and servants, 
moved over from Cashmere Kotee. 

Mrs. Downey caught a severe cold while mov- 
ing, which speedily brought her down with in- 
flammation of the lungs. For two weeks she 
lay very ill, and then was just able to be placed 
in a palkee and taken to Eynee Tal. We feared 
when she left that she might not live to reach 
there. 

Mrs. Waugh accompanied her, and remained 
by her a fortnight. She then returned home, 
leaving Mrs. Downey, who was slowly recover- 
ing, to spend the season. 

Mr. H. and I each had an attack of fever in 
April. He recovered very quickly, but I re- 
mained so weak, and had symptoms so alarming, 



206 SIX TEARS IK INDIA. 

that our physician hurried me off to Nynee Tal. 
I recovered very rapidly there, and returned 
home after a stay of three weeks. 

I found still another bungalow in process of 
erection on my return, and was informed that it 
was to be our house. 

The season is now in the very zenith of its 
heat, but we do not find it so very difficult to 
keep comfortable as we did last year. We 
study a great deal, and Mr. H. is kept very busy 
in superintending the workmen on the orphan- 
age and printing office and the new bungalow, 
and in preaching in the city. 

This place seems strangely home-like, I pre- 
sume because here we first launched out into the 
native work. If another Zahoor-ul-Huqq be 
granted us this year we shall rejoice. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 207 



LETTEE XVI. 

Startling News from Home — Girls' School — Arrangement of 
Native Work in Bareilly — Effect of Preaching — Inquirer — 
His Persecutions — Conversion — Narrowly escapes Martyr- 
dom — Liberality of EngHsh Residents — Building — Heavy 
Rains — Wesleypore Colony — Removal to Shahjehanpore. 

Shahjehanporb, Nov. 21, 1861. 

My Dear Mother, — Before I resume my ac- 
count of our life in Bareilly I must notice the 
startling news from home. 

"We received news of the outrage at Fort 
Sumter by telegraph about the middle of May ? 
and the last papers we received in June brought 
the terrible news that war with the South is in- 
evitable. How strange it seems ! Our own 
peaceful land at war, brother with brother ! It 
seemed to us when we first read the news, that 
the foundations of the earth were being moved ! 
It appears to us here that this struggle involves 
more than it purports to at present ; in fact, that 
it will not cease until that deadly blight upon 
our fair land, that shameful stigma upon our re- 
publican institutions, slavery, is removed. 

The Christian world has been looking for this 
eruption. It could not but come, since God 
hears the cry of the oppressed and will avenge 
them. 



208 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

You may well believe that we are, and shall 
be, very anxious. The mails will be impatiently 
waited for, but when received will be, alas! two 
months old. But I will go on with my narrative. 

Soon after I returned from Nynee Tal I com- 
menced a girls' school, in which were some twelve 
pupils, including the native preacher's and serv- 
ant's girls and three or four young Sikh women. 
I commenced the school the first of June, and 
kept it up till October. I did not pay any one 
for attending, but during one hour each day I 
had them sew on garments for the orphan boys, 
and paid them according to their work. 

The girls improved fast in sewing, with this 
incentive before them, and several of them earned 
eight or ten annas per week. An anna equals 
three cents. Minepul Sing's young wife excelled 
the others. She was an ignorant young girl 
when Minepul brought her to the Mission the 
previous winter, and he was very anxious to have 
her learn to read and sew, and more than all 
he strongly desired her to understand and be- 
lieve the Christian religion. She was very awk- 
ward at first, and I often despaired of her learn- 
ing the alphabet of her own language ; and as to 
sewing, her needle went in every direction ex- 
cept the right one. I doir't really know whether 
she or I had the harder time of it during the 
first month of the school, but she came up all 
right at last, and earned three annas a day, by 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 209 

sewing, a good part of the season. Her mind 
expanded proportionately. She learned to read, 
and seemed in some measure to comprehend and 
feel the force of the truths of Christianity. 

The first hour of school was always deeply 
interesting. The women and elder girls sat on 
low cane seats on one side, and the younger girls 
on a rug on the other, forming a three-quarter's 
circle around me. 

The lesson was always something about the 
life of our Saviour, but often, through their nu- 
merous and curious questions, extended back to 
the deluge and forward to the resurrection day ! 
After this we all joined in singing a simple 
hymn, and in learning two or three others. 
Then we all knelt in prayer, and in conclusion 
all joined in repeating our Lord's prayer. 

My school hours, from six o'clock till nine 
A. M., were the happiest of the day. I became 
greatly attached to my scholars, and had the 
satisfaction of seeing them improve very much. 
One little girl, named Gunguah, is the daughter 
of our sais, and was so destitute of suitable 
clothing that, in order to have her fit to attend 
the school, I gave her a school dress, and re- 
quired her to wear it only during school hours. 
Her parents are Hindoos, and do not like to have 
her learn to read, as they fear she will become 
tainted with the " new religion." 

Another bright little girl, daughter of a native 
14 



210 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

preacher, had always been very wild and averse 
to school. She commenced coming, bnt her 
mother told me she presumed I would find it 
quite impossible to interest her, and that proba- 
bly she would only attend a few days. But no ! 
she applied herself diligently, learned to read 
and sew, and became so attached to the school 
that she would linger - about the hall door an 
hour before the time for opening. 

I did little else through the season but attend 
to my school, as my health remained unsettled. 
Still, I was conscious of making rapid advance- 
ment in the language. I usually listened while 
Mr. H. read with the moonshee, and thus re- 
ceived some of the benefit of the lesson without 
the labor. He was so well known in Bareilly, 
too, that he received many native visitors, and 
I found great pleasure in listening to their con- 
versations. I was often surprised at the clear- 
ness with which the intricate distinctions laid 
down in the grammars were brought out in 
them. 

I gave as much attention as possible to the 
translation of hymns, bat found it exceedingly 
difficult to accomplish anything satisfactorily. 
However, I succeeded in changing the dress of 
sixteen of our standard hymns during the year. 

The native work, as a whole, was more inter- 
esting this year than we had ever known it be- 
fore. We had a very efficient staff of native 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 211 

helpers, who, although engaged in different de- 
partments of the work, were able to alternate 
in bazar preaching and visiting among the 
natives. 

Enoch Burge was the native preacher. Caleb, 
whom we knew in Calcutta, and who is an ex- 
cellent preacher, had come to us as an assistant 
to Mr. Waugh in the work of the mission print- 
ing press. Thomas Cull en was engaged in the 
boys' orphanage. 

Every Monday morning these native preach- 
ers met with the missionaries, and a plan for the 
week's preaching was made out and a copy 
given to each. Every evening in the week 
there was preaching at some point in or about 
the city. A system of visiting native gentle- 
men at their houses was also begun, and adhered 
to during our stay in Bareilly. 

Mr. Cowie also placed the little society of na- 
tive Christians under his care in our charge, 
with a view to their being permanently included 
in our mission. Joseph Angelo alternated with 
our preachers in the city work, and some one of 
our staff held service in their little village every 
Sabbath morning. There was also a band of 
Eurasians, attached to a native regiment sta- 
tioned in Bareilly, with whom we held service 
once a week. 

This constant stirring up of the native mind 
necessarily produced some effect. The preach- 



212 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

ing in the bazars was very largely attended, and 
many discussions were held. The large number 
of college students, some of whom were very 
regular attendants upon the preaching, rendered 
the congregations unusually intelligent. There 
were many who seemed convinced of the truth 
of Christianity, but yet could not make up their 
minds to break away from their friends, and the 
ties of caste and superstition. 

One young baboo, (Hindoo gentleman,) how- 
ever, was led to " count all things but loss," that 
he might "win Christ." He had listened to 
the preaching several times the first year we 
were in Bareilly, and when we returned he be- 
gan to call on Mr. H. and converse with him 
freely about the way of salvation. He then 
commenced attending the Hindoostanee services, 
although, in order to elude the vigilance of his 
father-in-law, who was bitterly opposed to Chris- 
tianity, he was sometimes obliged to come in 
undress* He was not watched so closely before 
dressing, as his father-in-law supposed he would 
not think of visiting the " Padre sahib " with- 
out being properly clothed. I have seen him 
tremble with emotion during the sermon, and it 
was evident that the spirit of God was striving 
with him, and what a struggle it must have 
been ! How little do those in our own land 
who talk about giving up the world and sacri- 
ficing their pleasures, etc., know about real self- 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 213 

denial ! Umbeeka Churn, the young baboo, 
finally resolved he would be a Christian at all 
hazards. His praying and reading of the Bible 
soon raised his father-in-law's wrath to such a 
pitch that he could not endure it. Several 
times he was severely beaten, and he resolved 
that as he could not serve the Lord in peace at 
home he would flee to the mission. He rea- 
soned with his young wife, and prevailed upon 
her to accompany him. One morning they fled, 
but were discovered and followed. The timid 
young wife was forced to return by her father, 
but the baboo came to the mission. The same 
night a part of his friends came and demanded 
him, but he was not forthcoming. Early the 
next morning the father-in-law came to our 
house and desired Mr. H. to allow the baboo to 
come on to the verandah and converse with 
him. As he was alone, and seemed very calm 
and dispassionate, Mr. H. sent for the baboo 
and two native Christians. They came, sat 
down in the verandah, and began to converse 
quite amicably. After a few minutes Mr. H. 
came into the house for the customary cup of tea. 
We were scarcely seated at table when a loud 
blow and a fall resounded from the verandah. 
We ran out and saw the young man just rising 
from the floor. Blood was streaming over his 
face from a wound just over one of his eyes. 
His father-in-law was running away from the 



214 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

premises. He had first urged the baboo to return 
home, and upon his refusing, suddenly shrieked 
out with ungovernable fury, " I am ready to be 
hung for you," and attempted to strike him on 
on the temple with a heavy cane. Fortunately 
the baboo turned his head, and so received the 
blow on his forehead. 

Toward night a rajah from the city, a Hindoo 
of considerable wealth and influence, and quite 
a friend of Europeans, came to us, being sent 
by the baboo's friends, to persuade him to spend 
the night at the rajah's house in order to hold a 
discussion with the best pundits the city affords. 
Mr. H. is acquainted with the rajah and knows 
him to be at least outwardly honorable. He 
gave his word that no violence should be used, 
and that the young man should be returned to 
the Mission the next morning safe and sound. 
" I will not deceive you," said the rajah ; " we 
shall do our best to convince the young man 
that it will be better for him to remain a Hin- 
doo, and we shall probably succeed." He knew 
well the avarice of the native character, and 
thought to buy the youth easily ; but he did not 
understand how valueless money looks to a 
Christian when hung in the balance against his 
soul. 

Mr. H. called the baboo, explained the rajah's 
design to him, and asked him what he would 
do. " Sahib," said he, " I do not wish to go ; it 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 215 

will be very trying, though I am not afraid that 
anything they can say will influence me in the 
least. I will do as yon think best." 

He went, and that night we all prayed earn- 
estly that God would strengthen him in his hour 
of trial. We slept but little that night, and 
next morning all watched anxiously for the ra- 
jah to keep his promise. At last his fine horses 
and carriage were seen approaching bringing 
the baboo, accompanied by the rajah's son. 

We received the baboo back joyfully. He 
seemed weary, but there was no mistaking the 
look of satisfaction and peace on his face. 

" Are you going to be a Christian, baboo ? " 
asked Mr. H. 

" I am," he replied, " the grace of God help- 
ing me." 

" So, then, you failed to convince the baboo 
that it would be better for him to remain a 
Hindoo," said Mr. H. to the rajah's son, who 
remained in the carriage. 

" It is very wonderful," he replied, throwing 
up his hands with a gesture of astonishment ; 
" who can tell what has got hold of him that he 
thus throws himself away ! " and with a hasty 
salam he drove off. 

All that night had the baboo been assailed 
by entreaty, argument, and temptation. A de- 
sirable situation with a large salary, and with per- 
mission to be a Christian privately, was offered 



216 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

him, but he never once wavered, and the rajah 
himself admitted that he must be sincere in his 
belief. 

The baboo tried every available means to ob- 
tain his wife, but in vain. "When she was forced 
to appear in court and declare before the magis- 
trate whether she would go with her husband or 
not, she said she would not live -with him if he 
would be a Christian. She was probably over- 
awed by her father's threats. 

The fact that a baboo had actually broken 
through the bonds of caste, and, in spite of the 
determined opposition of his friends, identified 
himself with the mission, and received Christian 
baptism, speedily became known throughout the 
city, and created great excitement. 

The people, however, were more attentive to 
the preaching than ever, and many inquiries were 
made of the missionaries and native preachers. 

There seemed indeed to be an unusual influ- 
ence moving upon the native mind. The native 
preachers remarked it, and were led themselves 
to a greater degree of earnestness and zeal in 
their efforts to enlighten the people and lead 
them to the Saviour. There was a depth and 
fervor in our services on the mission premises 
that reminded us of seasons of revival at home, 
and we could but believe that the Spirit of God 
was working among the people. 

We were abundantly supplied with means to 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 217 

carry on our schools and work in Bareilly by the 
liberality of the English residents. Several 
gave us handsome donations, and others gave a 
certain sum monthly, especially to carry on the 
local work in Bareilly. 

We observed the fast of August fifth, appoint- 
ed by President Lincoln. Our national flag was 
raised, as it is indeed every Sabbath. It was 
very gratifying to us to witness the interest man- 
ifested by our native Christians and preachers 
in the fearful struggle which is going on in our 
own beloved land, and to listen to their fervent 
prayers that the right may prevail and peace be 
speedily restored. 

We received notice in September that we 
must remove from Bareilly to Shahjehanpore 
the first of November. We had fully expected 
to remain much longer in Bareilly, and were 
very sorry to have our relation to this interest- 
ing work so soon broken off. We are strongly 
attached to Bareilly as it was our first mission- 
field, and we have labored there longer than in 
any other place, and formed many acquaintances 
both among Europeans and natives. 

There, too, we have seen Zahoor-ul-Huqq, 
Umbeeka Churn, and several others, break 
through the time-honored chains of darkness, 
and emerge into the light of Gospel liberty, and 
it seemed to us that many others were about to 
follow their example. 



218 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

In October Mr. and Mrs. Parker removed to 
Luckempore, in Oude, about sixty miles from 
Shahjehanpore, which is the last mission station 
in Rohilkund. 

About twenty miles from Luckempore a set- 
tlement has been formed of some of the Sikh 
inquirers from Moradabad, which is under Mr. 
Parker's care. These people have continued to 
manifest a spirit of inquiry, and many among 
them have become Christians, some of them 
very earnest ones. 

About one hundred people went to this settle- 
ment, which is named Wesleypore. Among 
them were most of the Sikh families we had 
employed in Bareilly, including Minepul Sing 
and his wife. Minepul's twin brother, Goordial, 
and his wife, were also of the number. The 
object of this is to have a village where, free 
from the influence and interference of Hindoos 
and Mohammedans, the people can be Christian- 
ized and civilized. Our only fear is that the 
site is a bad one. It is too near the belt of jun- 
gle or wild land that skirts the Himalayas to be 
a healthy location. 

Soon after we removed to Bareilly our mis- 
sion was reinforced by the arrival of six mission- 
aries : Mr. and Mrs. Hauser, who went direct 
to Bijnour; Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, who were ap- 
pointed to Luckempore ; Mr. Messmore and Miss 
Husk, who were both stationed in Lucknow. 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 219 

Soon after their arrival Mr. Gracy, with his 
wife and child, arrived, and was located at 
Seetapore, midway between Lucknow and Shah- 
jehanpore. Luckempore is but twenty miles 
from Seetapore in a northerly direction. Mr. 
Jackson has now removed to Bareilly, and as- 
sumed the duties of treasurer to the mission. 

We came to Shahjehanpore by palkee dak, 
and arrived late in the evening. We had heard 
much of the fine mission house here, and when 
we saw walls striped with black mould, and torn 
and musty cloth chuts over the rooms, we began 
to think there must be a mistake somewhere. 
An examination into the state of affairs, however, 
showed us that the trouble was all caused by a 
leaky roof, so we are again involved in all the 
trouble of repairing a house while we live in it. 

Fortunately this is a double bungalow, and 
while one part is being repaired we can live in 
the other ; but of course the whole house will be 
strewn with mortar and whitewash, and be re- 
dolent of the odors of new tiles and bricks. 

The fatigue of moving, and our uncomforta- 
ble situation here, have had an unfavorable in- 
fluence upon my health. I can keep up only 
part of the day, but I hope to rally soon in this 
invigorating weather. The delightful cold sea- 
son is again here, and day after day we rejoice 
in cold bracing nights and mild balmy days. 



220 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 



LETTER XVII. 

Marriage of Mr. Thoburn to Mrs. Downey — Translating 
Hymns — Mr. Ulman — Reminiscences of the Mutiny in 
Shahjehanpore — Luckimpore — Mrs. Pierce — Dr. Kareem 
Buksh — Baptisms — Persecution of Native Christians — 
Visit to some Native "Women — Journey to Nynee Tal — Ill- 
ness — Return Home — Death of Mrs. Jackson — Death of 
Mrs. Thoburn — Journey to Bareilly — Death of Mrs. Pierce, 

Shahjehanporr, Oct. 25, 1862. 

My Dear Mother, — On the fourteenth of De- 
cember, 1861, Mr. Thoburn was married to Mrs. 
Downey at Mr. Waugh's residence in Bareilly. 
She has given up her connection with the boys' 
orphanage, and returned with her husband to 
Eynee Tal. "We hope the hill climate may 
permanently restore her health, which is far 
from being re-established. 

I gradually grew stronger as the cold season 
advanced, and although suffering constantly, I 
was able to give some attention to translating 
hymns. I first revised the sixteen I had on 
hand, and sent them to Mr. Ulman, of the Amer- 
ican Presbyterian Mission, for criticism. He 
has been engaged in Hindoostanee hymnology 
for over twenty years, and is the best authority 
on the subject in Northern India. He very 
kindly criticised my hymns freely, pointed out 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 221 

defects, and gave me some very grateful words 
of commendation and encouragement. Mr. 
Scott too, of the same mission, was so kind as 
to read the hymns, and to send me words of en- 
couragement to go on in the work of trans- 
lating. 

Mr. Ulman also gave me some hints in regard 
to the styles of rhyme peculiar to this language, 
etc. I have since worked with much greater 
facility, as I have a more definite idea in regard 
to what I wish to attain. 

Enoch Burge and his family accompanied us to 
Shahjehanpore. We found here threemen who pro- 
fessed to be Christians. One was in the police, and 
made an open profession of his belief. The other 
two were endeavoring to be Christians by stealth. 

There was a boys' school, with an average at- 
tendance of fifteen, in the little chapel Mr. Caw- 
dell built in 1861. A young native Christian 
from Lucknow was in charge of it. Mr. H. 
soon removed the school to the city, where he 
obtained a fine large building in a good situation 
for it. The number of scholars increased so 
rapidly that he had no Christian teacher, capa- 
ble of managing so large a school, who could be 
spared for that work. He engaged a young ba- 
boo, who proved to be an excellent teacher. This 
young man has a large salary, which, with the 
rent of the building, etc., makes the expenses of 
the school quite heavy, and in order to meet 



222 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

them Mr. H. sent a subscription paper to the 
English residents of the station. They sub- 
scribed handsomely, and thus enabled him to 
bring the school up to a high degree of excel- 
lence, and to carry on the work without embar- 
rassment. 

Shahjehanpore is a rambling city of about 
seventy thousand inhabitants, many of whom 
are Mohammedans. There are no temples or 
mosques of particular note, although several are 
of very showy architecture. The outside of 
one temple is covered with caricatures of fish 
moulded in plaster and gilded. 

The mission house stands very near the city. 
It is a large commodious bungalow, and stands 
in an extensive compound, which includes a 
beautiful garden. There are lemons, oranges, 
custard apples, pears, peaches, mangoes, and 
guavas in their season, and a variety of flowers. 
The roses are finer than any I ever saw before, 
even at home. There are numbers of the large 
double roses, several of the scarlet velvet-leaved 
monthly that we cherish so carefully in-doors at 
home, and one immense bush which bears a 
profusion of the loveliest white roses imaginable. 

There are also two or three flowering trees 
that are magnificent. On one, the leaves grow 
in clusters, in the centers of which are six or 
eight flesh-colored lily-shaped wax flowers of pe- 
culiar fragrance. Another tree has large white 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 225 

flowers similar to the double hollyhock. Clus- 
ters of large oleanders stand in rows on two sides 
of the garden. 

We spent Christmas at Luckempore with 
Mr. and Mrs. Parker and Mr. and Mrs. Pierce. 
Mrs. Pierce thought the journey might be ben- 
eficial to her health, and it was in like hope 
that I made the tour, as well as to see our 
friends. 

The missionaries all went out to Wesleypore, 
and were highly pleased with the prosperity of 
the little Christian community, and much grati- 
fied at the indications of improvement which 
they saw among them. 

After a day or two we all went up to Seeta- 
pore, and spent several days, in company with 
Mr. and Mrs. Gracey, at a large fair which was 
held near Seetapore, at the city of Khairabad. 

The missionaries preached daily, and distri- 
buted tracts and gospels. It was not a religious 
but an industrial fair, something after the style 
of our county fairs at home, and samples of 
every kind of native growth and manufacture 
were present in abundance. 

There were some famine orphan girls waiting 
in Seetapore to be taken to Lucknow, and as 
they were ill Mrs. Pierce was obliged to leave 
with them before the fair closed. She left in a 
buggy with 'Killa and her little sou a few months 
old, and his nurse. The orphans were in doo- 



15 



226 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

lies. She^went in this way to Lucknow, a dis- 
tance of sixty miles, with but two servants. I 
felt strangely moved as I saw her leave, she 
seemed so fragile and spiritual, and so forgetful 
of self; but I little thought I should not look 
upon her face again. 

Soon after our return home, Mr. H. and Enoch 
made a tour of thirty miles to visit a Christian 
zamindar, or landed proprietor. He was also a 
surgeon, and had formerly been employed in 
that capacity by the East India Company. In 
one of the regiments where he served he be- 
came acquainted with a pious officer, who in- 
structed him in the principles of the Christian 
religion and urged him to study the Bible. He 
told Mr. H. that for years he had been fully 
convinced of the truth of Christianity, but that 
he had been deterred from making a public 
profession of his faith on account of his numer- 
ous and bigoted Mohammedan friends, who 
would not have hesitated to take his life if he 
had done so. But as the strong arm of the law 
is now pledged to protect the life and property 
of such persons, he did not wish to delay any 
longer. He desired to serve the Lord with all 
his house. 

Dr. Kareem Buksh had himself been bap- 
tized some time previously by Mr. Mengee, of 
the Church Mission in Lucknow. He invited 
Mr. H. to visit him at this time to baptize his 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 227 

aged mother and a little son who was in delicate 
health. A crowd of people gathered about the 
door while the ordinance was being administer- 
ed. The doctor shed tears of joy while he fer- 
vently thanked God that his mother had been 
enabled to profess her faith in Christ by holy 
baptism. Afterward Mr. H. and Enoch preached 
in a large village near by to an attentive multi- 
tude. Many among them could read, and were 
eager to obtain books and tracts. They visited 
the ancient city of Shahabad, about sixteen 
miles from Shahjehanpore, on their way home, 
where they preached to large and deeply inter- 
ested congregations. 

In February our quiet was broken by the 
welcome arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas from 
home. They remained six months at Shahje- 
hanpore. Mr. and Mrs. Brown, who came with 
them, went on to Moradabad. Mr. and Mrs. 
Hicks, also their fellow-passengers over, were 
stationed at Luckempore. As the cold season 
wore away (all too quickly) there seemed to be 
a general and increasing interest in the preach- 
ing among the people. Many incidents oc- 
curred from time to time during the bazar 
preachings that would be amusing, did they not 
show in so striking a manner how dark and ig- 
norant are the minds around us. I will relate 
one of them. 

One evening, after Mr. H. and Enoch had 



228 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

been preaching to a large and attentive crowd 
in the bazar, an aged man came to Mr. H. just 
as he was abont to leave and said, "Yon have 
preached God to ns good." 

Mr. H. replied, " It is necessary that we should 
obey him." 

" Yes," said the old man, " and his prophet 
also." 

" Who is his prophet % " Mr. H. asked. 

" It is Mohammed," was the answer. 

Said Mr. H., " Mohammed was an impostor, 
a wicked man, and no prophet ; if you trust to 
him for salvation you will be lost ;" whereupon 
the venerable Mussulman was displeased and 
looked very sad. 

Two of the native Christians are suffering 
a series of petty persecutions which are very 
annoying. They have kept very quiet, and are 
determined to retain their homes and their fam- 
ilies, and not be driven forth from them. One 
evening a number of Mohammedans came with 
one of the Christians to our house and asked 
Mr. H. if the man had drunk wine and eaten 
pork, and so become a Christian. Mr. H. as- 
sured them that he was not aware of his having 
done either of those terrible things, but that he 
hoped he was a Christian. He then explained 
to them what it is to be a Christian, and said he 
wished they might all become Christians imme- 
diately. Their temper cooled at once, and when 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 229 

they left they assured Mr. H. that they were 
delighted with his kindness, and should certainly 
visit him again. 

The school attracted much attention, and had 
many visitors. The Scripture lessons became 
very prominent, and were regarded by Mr. H. 
as a means of great good not only to the schol- 
ars, but, indirectly, to their parents. 

If my health had been sufficiently good to 
persevere in the attempt, I have no doubt I 
should have been able to obtain ingress to many 
families connected with the school, through the 
scholars ; but I could do nothing more than spend 
a few hours each day in study and translating, 
and an hour morning and evening in instructing 
the lave or six children on the premises. 

I went one day with Mr. H. to visit the Chris- 
tian policeman. His house stood upon a high 
terrace overlooking the street. He brought 
seats for Mr. H. and himself, but asked me to 
go in and see his wife. I went in gladly, and 
found a pleasant young woman, with whom I 
was soon engaged in conversation. I found she 
had but little idea of Christianity, except that 
it is a different belief from Mohammedanism. 
Of its inward, spiritual nature she had no con- 
ception. She said to me that a large family 
lived next to her, and as they never saw a mem 
sahib, they would be delighted to have me con- 
verse with them a few moments. I signified my 



230 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

willingness to see them, and soon about thirty 
women and girls made their appearance. The 
eldest was an aged woman, the great, great 
grandmother of the young children. She said 
she was nearly one hundred years old. Poor 
creature ! all those long years she had never 
heard of the Saviour of sinners ! I had an in- 
teresting conversation with them, and promised 
to visit them often ; but, alas ! the hot wind began 
to blow, and my health failed so fast that I was 
obliged to leave these interesting openings for 
Kynee Tal. 

I left Shahjehanpore on the evening of the 
thirteenth of May, and reached Bareilly the 
next morning. In consequence of some delay 
in laying my dak from there to Kaleedoongee, I 
remained in Bareilly two or three days. By so 
doing I made the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. 
Jackson, whom I had previously seen for a few 
hours only as they passed through Shahjehan- 
pore on their way to Bareilly. I found Mrs. 
Jackson to be one of those amiable spirits that 
endear themselves to every one with whom they 
come in contact. It was emphatically true of 
her that 

"None knew her but to love her, 
None named her but to praise." 

The day before I left Bareilly there was a 
violent storm of wind and rain, which, although 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 231 

it lasted but a short time, did much damage. 
Thatched buildings were unroofed, and trees 
broken and uprooted. We rode through can- 
tonments after the storm ceased, and counted 
over thirty fine trees that were entirely ruined. 

I visited the orphanage and spoke with the 
children, especially with the boys who had been 
in our care. There was a fine class of these 
older boys in Mr. "Waugh's charge. I heard 
them recite to him one day, and found they had 
improved rapidly. Gulab, the famine orphan 
who came with his brother to us at Budaon, 
now brought the little fellow forward with great 
pride, and showed me what a fine strong lad he 
had become. Poor Gulab ! he saw his brother 
sicken and die that season, and the only minis- 
tration that was left him was to plant flowers on 
his grave. 

The night was pleasant during my solitary 
journey from Bareilly to Rampore ; but on the 
succeeding night, during my journey from that 
place to Kaleedoongee, there were severe dust 
storms. The first one came on before midnight, 
quite suddenly. An immense volume of dust 
from the west swept over earth and sky, envel- 
oping both in a sable shroud. 

My kahars hurried me to a village near the 
roadside, and carried me, palkee and all, right 
into the house of a venerable Mussulman who 
sat on his charpaee (bedstead) in the doorway. 



232 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

After waiting a long hour, during which the 
wind blew terrifically, we again ventured to go 
on. I slept for an hour or two when the kahars 
wakened me with the intelligence that another 
dust storm was fast approaching. That time 
they took me into an open shop that stood by 
the road. We remained there an hour, and 
then went on, without much interruption, until 
we reached Kaleedoongee, where I found a 
jhaumpaun and bearers which had been sent 
down from ]STynee Tal to take me up. 

I reached the mission house at JSynee Tal 
about four o'clock P. M., and had the pleasure 
of meeting Mr. and Mrs. Thoburn, whom I had 
not seen since their marriage. 

I found Mrs. Thoburn apparently enjoying 
good health, and busily engaged in a girls' 
school. There were thirty names on the roll, 
with an average attendance of twenty. 

The scholars seemed quite in earnest about 
learning to read, but the chief attraction was 
crocheting in worsteds. Those who attended 
regularly received two pice daily. The articles 
they manufactured, which found a ready sale in 
Eynee Tal, helped to defray the expense of the 
school considerably. 

Mrs. Thoburn's health began to fail in June, 
and she was obliged to give up her school duties 
in consequence. I kept the school up a few 
weeks with the aid of the catechist's wife, but 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 233 

after the rains fairly set in my health was un- 
equal to the task. 

During July and August the rains were al- 
most incessant. Mrs. Thoburn and I were 
obliged to keep in-doors, and, most of the time, 
to our couches. I have no doubt the dampness 
and ill ventilation of the house contributed 
greatly to our illness. 

The last of August there was a slight cessa- 
tion of the rains, and I seized the opportunity 
to lay my dak to Shahjehanpore. 

My journey home was a series of exposures. 
Part of the time the rain fell in torrents, and 
for many a weary mile the water was so deep 
that the kahars carried the palkee on their shoul- 
ders and heads. 

I stopped in Bareilly over the Sabbath. Mr. 
and Mrs. Jackson had just removed to Budaon, 
and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas had just arrived and 
were about to take possession of the vacant 
bungalow. Intelligence had just been received 
from Lucknow that Mrs. Pierce was lying in a 
most critical state, and that it was feared she 
had not long to live. 

I reached home on Tuesday morning, and for 
several weeks suffered extremely from the effects 
of the journey and the heat. My physician 
told me that I could not live much longer in 
this country, and advised me, if I could not go 
home at once to try a sea voyage, but we could 



234: SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

not think the case so desperate as to demand 
either. 

Bareillt, Not. 4, 1862. 

The fall of 1862 will long be remembered in 
onr mission. On the fifteenth day of Septem- 
ber we received a telegram from Mr. Waugh, 
stating that Mrs. Jackson had been confined of 
a son on the thirteenth, and that both mother 
and child had died ! There was sincere mourn- 
ing throughout the mission for Mrs. Jackson. 
A native Christian woman who knew her well 
said to me, " We are all sad on account of the 
death of Jackson mem sahib ; she was a true 
Christian and loved us greatly." 

Mrs. Knowles wrote me in regard to her death 
as follows : " Sister Jackson received the tidings 
both of her own approaching death and of 
the departure of her little babe before her, with 
great calmness. Mr. K. went in to see her ere 
she left us for heaven, and tried to point her to 
the precious Jesus and his all-atoning blood, and 
to the sweet promises of God in Christ. A 
holy radiance lit up her dying face as she re- 
sponded, c Yes, blessed, blessed, blessed promises.' 
Her soul was resting upon them as upon a rock, 
and she was happy and fully prepared for the 
great change. She soon became insensible, and 
remained so till her death." 

Mrs. Thoburn wrote me : " How sad the death 
of dear Sister Jackson ! A purer spirit could 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 235 

not have left our midst. I feel to mourn a sis- 
ter beloved." Mrs. Jackson- left one child, little 
Bessie, not yet two years old. 

As we could not telegraph to Seetapore, we 
wrote the news of Mrs. Jackson's death to Mr. 
and Mrs. Gracey. When they received it they 
were in a very anxious state about Mrs. Parker, 
who had been taken there by her husband in 
the hope that a change of air might be benefi- 
cial. The rainy season had developed the un- 
healthiness of Wesleypore most fearfully. The 
poor Sikhs suffered greatly, and many died, some 
of them happy in the Lord. Muassee Sing, a 
catechist, refused to leave when permission was 
given him unasked, saying he preferred to re- 
main with his people till they could all go to- 
gether, and if the Lord should call him mean- 
while he was ready. He shortly heard the 
summons, " Come up higher," and died rejoic- 
ingly. Mall ah, Minepul Sing's wife, also died. 
Her last words were, " Lord Jesus, receive my 
spirit." 

In the midst of our sicknesses and bereave- 
ments have we not abundant encouragement in 
such deaths ? 

Mr. and Mrs. Parker, who were living in the 
village, remained at their post, dealing out med- 
icines and rendering all possible aid, until both 
were seized with the fever, and Mrs. Parker 
became so very ill that they were obliged to 



236 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

leave. She recovered slowly ; but they are both 
poorly, and suffer a great deal at times with chills 
and fever. 

Meanwhile the tidings from Lucknow were 
to the effect that Mrs. Pierce could not long 
survive. My health improved somewhat, and I 
exerted myself to revise mj latest hymns, as 
Mr. Waugh wished to get out a small mission 
hymn book. I succeeded in getting thirty -three 
ready for the press, which, with seventeen selec- 
tions (by permission) from the Presbyterian 
Mission Hymn Book, made us a little book of 
fifty hymns. 

The last week of October was spent in pack- 
ing our goods, as we had again received march- 
ing orders, this time to Moradabad. In the 
midst of our labors one day, our bearer brought 
us a telegraphic dispatch that had just been left 
at the house. " Dear Sister Pierce is gone," I 
said involuntarily. Mr. H. did not reply, but 
stood reading the telegram over and over, as if 
he doubted the evidence of his senses. Finally 
he said, " ISTo, not Sister Pierce, but Sister Tho- 
burn, died this morning." The shock was so 
great that I could not speak for a few moments, 
and my heart seemed to cease beating. I could 
not realize that she was indeed gone. We knew 
she had given birth to a son, and was not recov- 
ering her health so fast as was desirable, but 
did not know that she was considered to be in a 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 237 

dangerous state. By a letter received from Mr. 
Thoburn a few days afterward we learned that 
her death was most triumphant. " It is sweet to 
die," was her testimony as she passed through 
the river to the "beautiful land" she had so 
long regarded as her home. She loved the mis- 
sionary work, O how intensely ! Her labors, 
amid illnesses and weariness oft, bear witness to 
her affection for these degraded, these perishing 
souls. But when she heard the voice of her 
Saviour calling her to rest and glory, she joy- 
fully obeyed the summons. 



; may I triumph so, 

When all my warfare's past ; 
And, dying, find my latest foe 
Under my feet at last ! " 



Mr. H. felt the parting from his teachers and 
scholars in the Shahjehanpore school very much. 
On the last day he met with them the boys ex- 
pressed much regret that he was to leave them, 
and many of the larger ones, some of whom 
were Mohammedans, wept freely. He rose soon 
after the midnight preceding our departure, to 
prepare some papers which he had not been able 
to write previously, on account of the constant 
press of work and company, but he had only got 
well to work when he was interrupted by a low 
rap at the door, and one of the under teachers 
of the school came in. He was struggling with 
deep convictions of duty. He felt convinced 



238 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

that Hindooism is false and Christianity is true, 
and that he ought to renounce the one and 
embrace the other ; but he did not feel able to 
meet the remonstrances and persecutions of his 
friends. 

Mr. H. prayed with him, and in the long con- 
versation that ensued, tried to show him the su- 
periority of those things that are not seen, but 
are forever sure, over those that are temporal 
and transitory. 

The first intelligence we received, when we 
reached Bareilly, was that Mrs. Pierce was dead. 
Her death did not take us by surprise, as did 
the former visits of the dread reaper to our mis- 
sion ; but we all felt that our mission had sus- 
tained a great loss in Mrs. Pierce. She had 
always seemed particularly near to me on account 
of our long companionship. We had always 
been sincerely attached to each other, and had 
kept up a close correspondence until within a 
few months of her death. 

But she has gone to join the bright band on 
the other shore ; gone from her family to whom 
she was tenderly attached, from the mission cir- 
cle of which she was a loved and honored mem- 
ber, from the orphan girls who for nearly four 
years had been the objects of her incessant care 
and love ; but the memory of her beautiful and 
self-denying life will ever be precious. 

Hers was the death of the righteous. Mrs. 



SIX YEAKS EST INDIA. 239 

Baume, who was with her all through her last 
sickness, wrote me as follows : " I often thank 
God for the precions privilege of being with Sis- 
ter Pierce during her illness, and especially her 
last days, which were days of triumph in Jesus. 
She was indeed filled with love, perfect love 
which casteth out all fear. I said to her, i Have 
you any special message for Sister Humphrey % ' 
She answered, ' O tell her to be holy, and do 
all she can for the poor degraded females of In- 
dia, but tell her to be very careful of her health 
and live as long as. possible.' These were her 
messages to all the sisters in the mission, and 
nothing more." 

"We shall go on from here to Moradabad in a 
day or two, and you will hear our report from 
that place in good time. 



240 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 



LETTER XYIIL 

Moradabad — Native Christians — Dr. Mullens — Journey to 
Lahore — Girls' School — Annual Meeting — Arrangement 
of Work — Effect of Preaching — Boys 1 School — Transla- 
tions — Preparations to return Home — Meela — Interesting 
Aspect of Native Work — Zhoor-ul-Huqq — Umbeeka Churn. 

Moradabad, Feb. 8, 1864. 

My dear Mother, — We arrived in Moradabad 
in due time, and received a real home-like wel- 
come from Joseph Fieldbrave and family, who 
with the other native Christians was in charge 
of the mission premises. He had prepared a 
nice breakfast for us in the dining-room of the 
mission house, which thoughtful attention was 
duly appreciated and improved by us. 

You perceive from this incident that these 
people are just like the rest of mankind. False, 
corrupt systems of belief make men vile, super- 
stitious, and cruel ; but the religion of Jesus 
makes them virtuous, intelligent, and courteous. 

"We were glad to meet Joseph and his family 
again, and to have them associated with us, but 
we were sorry to find Sophia out of health. 
Rose Anna had changed very much, and had 
grown to be a pretty-looking, intelligent young 
woman. Mr. Jackson was stationed here with 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 241 

us, but after three or four weeks he left for Cal- 
cutta, in order to send his motherless little Bes- 
sie, who was very delicate, to England. 

After the usual amount of labor and confusion, 
we again became settled at our work. We found 
quite a large boys' school in operation. Besides 
Joseph, we had Andreas, a catechist from a mis- 
sion of the Church of England. His wife Pris- 
cilla is' an amiable, quiet little woman, who sin- 
cerely desires to be a humble, useful Christian. 
He has also a father, brother, sister, and uncle, 
and these, with two other nominal Christian 
families that live on the premises, make quite a 
little community. 

There were also three inquirers here when we 
came ; one was an intelligent man of the kyasth, 
or writer caste, and the other two were priests 
of the chumar, or shoemaker caste. Mr. H. 
baptized them a few weeks after our arrival. 
The kyasth, whose name is ITmmed Sing, has 
some education, and bids fair to become a useful, 
consistent laborer among the people. The other 
men did not remain with us long after their 
baptism, but we hope they will advance steadily 
in faith and knowledge wherever they are. 

Just before Mr. Jackson's departure, we re- 
ceived the very pleasant surprise of a visit from 
Dr. Mullens, of Calcutta. He was on his way 
to the hills for a change of air. His talented 
and devoted wife has been called to her glorious 
16 



242 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

and eternal home. We were much interested 
in his accounts of her literary labors, and her 
successful efforts to gain admittance to zenanas. 
Her books, " Phulmane and Karuna," " What is 
Christianity," etc., are most interesting. The 
first named work especially must eventually be 
a great favorite with native women of all classes. 
It has been translated into several native dia- 
lects. 

The zenana mission in Calcutta is of recent 
date. The mutiny, instead of injuring the 
cause of Christianity, as its instigators hoped 
and expected, was used by Him who " turneth 
the hearts of men as the rivers of water are 
turned," as a means of advancing public opinion 
in its favor. Among other subjects, female edu- 
cation came to be regarded with greater com- 
placency. Mrs. Sale, a lady resident of Cal- 
cutta, first gained admission to two zenanas, 
which she visited regularly until her return to 
England, when Mrs. Mullens, who had just re- 
turned from a visit to that country, took them 
in charge. Soon after a third family was add- 
ed, and Mrs. Mullens disengaged herself from 
other duties and prepared to give her whole 
time to this work. Two other houses near her 
own residence were opened to her, and letters 
were received from native gentlemen asking for 
her services in their families. In a few months 
she had under visitation and instruction eight ze- 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 243 

nanas and three girls' schools, containing eighty 
ladies and seventy girls. She was assisted in 
this work by native teachers. They visited the 
scholars daily, while Mrs. Mnllens visited every 
honse personally once a week, to give instruction. 

Her scholars were taught reading, writing, 
wool-work, and crochet. Her eldest daughter 
took charge of the work department, while her 
own time was devoted exclusively to hearing 
her scholars' lessons and holding conversations 
with them. She gave them her own books to 
read, but did not at first introduce the Bible. 
Before long, however, the Gospels were given 
to all that could read, and the teachings and 
character of our Saviour began to be the fre- 
quent subjects of conversation. Meanwhile 
Miss Sandys and others were successful in gain- 
ing admission to native women of the higher 
classes in the very heart of the city, and had 
established schools among them. 

Mrs. Mullens died very suddenly, soon after 
the decease of Mr. Lacroix, her gifted and apos- 
tolic father. What a happy meeting must 
theirs have been in that City of Light, " beyond 
the tide." 

The work commenced by Mrs. Mullens is now 
carried on by her daughter and others in whose 
hearts God has planted a desire to benefit the 
women of India. 

Soon after the departure of Mr. Jackson, 



244 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

Mr. Cawdell and family arrived, and occupied 
half the mission house. 

My health improved so fast as the cold season 
advanced, that I was able to commence a school. 
Priscilla and Lydia, her sister-in-law, Rose Anna 
and Piyare, Gungeeah, our sais's daughter, who 
had not only been kept at her reading, but had 
been drawn into the Sabbath-school while we 
were in Shahjehanpore, with two or three oth- 
ers from outside the mission, made up the school, 
which, although small, was quite as large as I 
felt able to manage. 

The first hour of school was devoted to read- 
ing in the Bible, singing, prayers, reciting hymns, 
catechism, etc. During the second hour read- 
ing and writing in English and in the Roman- 
Oordoo, and reading in Hindee, were taught. 
The third hour was devoted to knitting and 
crocheting in wools. I purchased assorted Ber- 
lin wools, and taught them to crochet children's 
socks, mittens, neckties, hoods, etc., and when a 
dozen or so articles were completed I sent them 
to the ladies of the station for sale. In this way 
I paid for the wool, and also gave the girls a fair 
price for their work. 

In December Mr. H. accompanied Dr. But- 
ler and Mr. Hauser to Lahore, to attend a gen- 
eral missionary conference. Lahore is about four 
hundred miles from Moradabad, in a north-west- 
erly direction. 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 245 

They visited the cities of Delhi, TTmbala, 
Lodianah, and Kuppurthala on their way. This 
last is the capital of a small state of the same 
name, under the dominion of a Sikh rajah who 
is a Christian in belief, although he has never 
been baptized. There is a mission at Kuppur- 
thala which is largely supported by the rajah. 
It was indeed established at his solicitation. 
One of the missionaries is the Eev. Mr. Wood- 
side, whose acquaintance we made at Dayrah 
Doon ; the other is the Eev. Mr. JSTewton, M.D. 
The rajah has provided houses for the missiona- 
ries, as well as school buildings and a dispensary, 
and is building a beautiful church. He is in 
constant communication with the missionaries, 
attends their services, and sends his sons to them 
to be taught. All public work is stopped 
throughout the estate, on the Sabbath, and thus 
the rajah's example, as well as the instructions 
of the missionaries, is brought to bear upon the 
people. The rajah's present wife is a Christian, 
the daughter of the English manager of his 
estates. He was present at the conference, 
which was largely attended by missionaries from 
nearly all the Protestant missions in that section 
of the country. 

Questions of deep interest and important 
bearing upon the missionary work were dis- 
cussed. The rajah spoke strongly in favor of 
female education. 



246 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

At Umbala and Lodianah, as well as at Urn- 
ritser, which city they visited after leaving Kup- 
purthala, our party visited the missions, and 
inspected their schools. At Umbala there is an 
extensive American Presbyterian mission, a 
printing press, city school, and girl's orphanage, 
all of which seemed to be in a flourishing con- 
dition. 

They also visited the ancient temples and 
palaces of Delhi, the once famous city of kings, 
and of the other cities. In Umrister they vis- 
ited a large establishment for making up the 
cashmere wool into shawls and cloths. 

During the conference week the whole body 
was invited to several entertainments at the 
residences of the civilians, and also to a large 
party given by the rajah of Kuppurthala. 

The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was ad- 
ministered to the conference on the evening of 
the twenty-eighth of December by the Eev. Mr. 
Janvier.* Seven different denominations, and 
as many nations, were represented. It was an 
impressive season. 

While Mr. H. was absent I pursued the even 
tenor of my way, attending to my school and 
studies. Mr. Cawdell was ill during the time 
with chills and fever, or, as we call it here, jun- 
gle fever, as it is caused by the malaria from the 
jungles. 

* Mr. Janvier has since been murdered by a Hindoo fanatic. 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 247 

On Christmas day lie exerted himself to 
preach, and we had a pleasant service with the 
native Christians, interspered with Christmas 
hymns in Hindoostanee. 

During the day the usnal " nuzzers " from 
the city came pouring in, but as it was known 
that Mr. H. was absent, the donors did not ac- 
company their gifts. 

During Mr. H.'s absence I had the pleasure 
of a visit from Eev. Mr. Sherring and family, 
of a mission in Benares. They had been spend- 
ing several months in the hills on account of 
Mr. Sherring's health. 

Soon after Mr. H. returned he visited the 
Sikh villages, and made arrangements for a 
school at Babookera, and for religious services 
to be held regularly there and at Jua, a small 
village just beyond. Some of the survivors of 
Wesleypore had returned to their homes, and 
with other nominal Christians, formed quite a 
little community. 

Ummed Sing was located at Babookera as a 
teacher. 

The first week of February we went over to 
Bareilly to attend our annual meeting. It was 
a memorable occasion. A large reinforcement 
had just arrived, consisting of Dr. and Mrs. 
Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Scott, Mr. and Mrs. 
Man sell and child, Miss "White, Miss Porter, and 
Mr. Wilson. 



248 SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

In the midst of the accumulated business of 
two years, and the pleasant excitement of meet- 
ing each other, we did not forget those who had 
gone from among us the past year. Mr. Baume 
gave us a sermon in which he rendered a tribute 
to their worth, and exhorted us to live in the 
enjoyment of a like precious faith. 

I felt very grateful to my heavenly Father 
for the privilege of meeting our missionaries at 
this time. It was a pleasure I scarcely expected 
to have, and that I knew I might be enjoying 
now for the last time. 

Although my health was greatly improved, 
yet I knew it was not firmly established, and 
the coming season might again bring me low. 

I was glad to see that most of the missionaries 
seemed to be in good health, and had a fair 
prospect of usefulness before them. 

Mr. Hicks and his wife were obliged to leave 
the country on account of the failure of his 
health. They left during the meeting, bearing 
with them the sympathies and prayers of all. 

I met at this time Mr. and Mrs. Hauser, and 
Mrs. Messmore, (formerly Miss Husk,) whom I 
had not previously seen, and I also saw the dear 
little babe left by Mrs. Thoburn, who is in Mrs. 
"Waugh's charge. Mr. Messmore, Mrs. Baume, 
and Mrs. Judd were not present. We were, of 
course, appointed to Moradabad. Mr. and 
Mrs. Parker were appointed our colleagues, 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 251 

and so were to continue their work among the 
Sikhs. 

Soon after our return home the remnant of 
the Wesleypore colony came back to their na- 
tive villages. We felt a great deal of sympathy 
for these people, as they had suffered severely. 
Several of them died on the way to their homes, 
and others died soon after reaching them. Mine- 
pul Sing came back quite out of health. Gur- 
dial was well, and commenced service with us 
as house bearer at once. 

Joseph was removed from Moradabad at the 
annual meeting, and Zahoor-ul-Huqq and TJm- 
beeka Churn were appointed as our native help- 
ers. The former had taken a wife previously 
from the Christian village in Bareilly. 

Mr. H. went to work with his new staff of 
helpers with increased energy. Every morning 
he spent two hours in the school, and after pass- 
ing the intervening hours until evening in study, 
writing, etc., he went to the city or to a village 
to preach. He always called Zahoor-ul-Huqq 
Umbeeka Churn, and Andreas into his study 
before leaving, when they arranged their plan 
for the preaching, selecting a subject, and each 
one having a certain phase of it to lay before 
the people. They then prayed together for the 
Divine Spirit to accompany the gospel message. 
The people became aroused and alarmed, and 
spirited disputations increased upon every sue- 



252 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

cessive raid upon their false systems of belief. 
Often when Mr. H. or Zahoor-ul-Huqq was 
preaching, a Mohammedan would cry out, " Ko- 
ran bar-huqq hai, Mohammed sacheha hai ;" 
that is, " the Koran is true, Mohammed is true." 

They often asked, " Why do you say so much 
about Jesus and so little of the other prophets % " 
whereupon Mr. H. would tell them that Jesus 
was greater than the prophets, and then give 
them yet another lesson upon the office and 
character of our blessed Saviour. 

One evening the Mohammedans were more 
excited than usual, and when the preachers had 
finished talking and turned to leave the bazar, 
some one raised the cry, " Mohammed kee deen," 
that is, " The faith of Mohammed," when instant- 
ly it was caught up by scores of " the faithful," 
accompanied by clappings of the hands, and 
thus in a most violent and contemptuous man- 
ner they followed them out of the city with the 
din. 

I was really frightened when they came home 
and told of being sent off with such acclaim, and 
said, " They will murder you some time when 
they are so excited and angry ;" but Mr. H. only 
laughed, and said they had pretty good evidence 
that the people understood the preaching and 
felt the force of the truth. 

Mr. H. and Zahoor-ul-Huqq alternated in 
going out to the Sikh villages once a fortnight. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 253 

The school at Babookera prospered well. Um- 
med Sing was very acceptable to the people and 
seemed to be doing them good. Zahoor-ul-Huqq 
remarked of him, " Uska dil saccha hai," that 
is, " His heart is true." 

Mr. Parker, who has tried faithfully to labor 
both at preaching and in the school, but found 
his health unequal to such exertion, became so 
much worse as the hot weather advanced, that 
it was evident he must go to Nynee Tal. Just 
before he and his wife left we received a visit 
from Mr. Woodside, of Kuppurthala. ¥e en- 
joyed his short stay with us very much. 

The boys' school occasioned us much anxiety 
at one time, as we had not funds sufficient for 
its support this year. Mr. H. had recourse to 
his usual expedient for raising funds for such 
purposes, and was glad to find the English resi- 
dents in Moradabad as ready and generous in 
giving aid as those in Bareilly, Budaon, and 
Shahjehanpore. 

The judge and magistrate of the station, after 
subscribing liberally, sent him word that if more 
should be needed at any time it should be forth- 
coming. 

It occasions some surprise here, that with such 
a War in the United States, and consequent 
financial pressure upon the people, our mission- 
ary board can yet sustain its agents in foreign 
fields. 



254: SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 

Mr. H. held a public examination of the school 
in June. Several of the civilians, as well as 
native gentlemen, were present, and expressed 
much pleasure at the efficiency and good man- 
agement of the school. 

When Mr. Parker left for Nynee Tal, Mr. EL, 
with the native helpers, was left to carry on the 
work alone — the preaching, the school, and the 
work among the Sikhs. It was evident that all 
this would be too much for him during the hot 
season, so, after some preliminary writing, Mr. 
Mansell, who had been appointed to Lucknow, 
came to Moradabad. 

The hot season soon came on in all its intens- 
ity, but the mission house was very comfortable, 
and we felt the heat less than usual, at least so 
it seemed to us. But in spite of all our com- 
forts and appliances for coolness, my strength 
failed in a most unaccountable manner. I gave 
up my school and tried to save myself, but all 
was of no avail. A low fever set in, my side 
became increasingly painful, and my throat and 
mouth were inflamed and filled with canker, 
until I could scarcely take food sufficient to sus- 
tain life. I finally became so much reduced, 
that our physician said there was no other chance 
for life, I must go to Nynee Tal, so with much 
reluctance we made our preparations for another 
long separation. 

I commenced May in Nynee Tal. The cool 



SIX TEARS IN INDIA. 255 

hill climate acted like a charm upon me. In 
one week after my arrival the fever had left 
me, and the canker in my throat had disappeared. 

I hoped for a while to be able to return to 
Moradabad immediately after the rains should 
set in, but I was attacked by my old antagonist, 
chronic dysentery, and was told by my physician 
that if I went down into the heat I would prob- 
ably forfeit my life. 

I think if I had occupied dry, comfortable 
rooms all the time I was in Nynee Tal I might 
have been spared the severe sickness that fol- 
lowed ; but the mission house was crowded, and 
part of the time some were not accommodated 
even so well as I was. 

My room was dark, damp, and poorly venti- 
lated, and, although there was a fireplace, a fire 
was an impossibility on account of the smoke. 
The last of June my health failed so fast that 
my physician said I must have better rooms if 
possible. 

I removed accordingly, and took up my quar- 
ters in two small, but very comfortable rooms 
in the wing of a house occupied by Dr. Butler 
and family, but the change was too late to avert 
the consequences of former exposure. % 

I was taken very ill, and grew worse so rapid- 
ly that Mr. H., who had but just returned home 
after making me a short visit, came up again in 
great haste, fearing it was to see me die. 



256 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

I thought myself at one time that I might 
soon be laid by Mrs. Thoburn in our lovely cem- 
etery on the hill-side, but it was our Father's 
will and good pleasure to raise me up again. 

Through July and August Mr. H. remained 
by me, and I have no doubt his care contributed 
in a great measure to my recovery. But my 
system was so debilitated that I could no longer 
rally as heretofore, and it soon became evident 
that unless a great change should take place 
we must indeed return home for a while. We 
did not wish to do this, however, unless there 
were a fair prospect that by doing so my health 
might be restored. I have no wish to return 
home to die, I would much rather die in India. 

We consulted several physicians, who gave it 
as their opinion that I might regain my health 
in our home climate, and be enabled to return to 
our work in India. Under these considerations 
we applied to our missionary board for leave to 
return home. 

Mr. H. returned to Moradabad the last of 
August, but I remained a month longer. Mrs. 
Hauser and her little daughter were with me, 
which prevented me from being lonely. I was 
able to study and translate a little every day, 
and began my walks and rides again about the 
hills. I even began to cherish the hope that we 
might after all remain at our work. 

But during the journey down from the hills 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 257 

I met with a long detention on account of the 
breaking of my jhaumpaun, during which I 
caught a severe cold. Soon after my arrival 
home I was again seized with low fever and 
pain in my side, which, instead of being tempo- 
rary as heretofore, has never left me wholly dur- 
ing the season. 

It seemed hard not to be able to reopen my 
school nor to visit the Sikh villages, as I hoped 
to do these pleasant months. I feel particularly 
interested in these people, as we have free access 
to their families, and the young women and 
girls among them are generally anxious to learn. 

O how I longed for strength to go among 
them and tell them of my Saviour and theirs, 
and teach them to read his word. But now 
that I had attained sufficient fluency in the lan- 
guage to do this with ease, my strength would 
not admit of the exertion. So I gave my atten- 
tion, whenever I was able to do anything, to 
what I could do, namely, to instructing the 
Christian and Sikh women on the mission pre- 
mises and to translating. 

During the year I gathered some fugitive 
translations of previous years, and prepared 
them for the press in the form of a small book, 
entitled " Akhlaqi Kahanian," that is, Moral 
Stories. There were ten in all. Seven of them 
were gleaned from the " Ladies' Bepository" and 
the "Northern Christian Advocate," and the 
17 



258 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

others were the first three chapters of Dr. "Wise's 
" Precious Lessons." To each of the stories I 
added a few stanzas. It is being published in 
Eoman-Oordoo. 

I also translated a beautiful allegory, called 
" The White Dress," from an English publica- 
tion. It is being published in Persi- Arabic, in 
tract form. I succeeded, too, in translating 
several hymns, which brought the number, in- 
cluding those already published, to sixty. 

While I am truly grateful that God enabled 
me to do even this work, I am not blind to the 
fact that these translations are necessarily im- 
perfect, and will doubtless soon be superseded 
by worthier productions. 

Still, there must be a beginning, and I am 
glad to have contributed my mite to it. I sin- 
cerely hope there will be great and rapid prog- 
ress in these and all matters pertaining to our 
work, and if it please God to grant me an 
opportunity to share in it I shall be most 
thankful. 

In November Mr. Mansell and Mr. Hum- 
phrey, accompanied by Zahoor-ul-Huqq and An- 
dreas, visited the great annual Ganges mela at 
Ghurmuckteeser, about forty miles distant from 
Moradabad. They pitched their tent on a re- 
served space occupied by the police, having 
obtained permission of the officer present to 
do so. 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 259 

The mela was attended by a vast multitude, 
estimated at about one hundred thousand. The 
people arranged rude tents in streets, where 
they ate and slept. During the day they first 
bathed in the Ganges and celebrated pooja, 
after which they assembled in groups to listen 
to the vagaries of the priests, jugglers, and 
dancing girls. 

Some shrewd ones drove bargains at some of 
the numerous stalls, where fabrics and wares of 
native manufacture were displayed in abundance. 

As the sun declined, the rajahs and raees who 
were present paraded the streets on richly ca- 
parisoned elephants and horses, and the entire 
male portion of the assemblage, in their gayest 
apparel, either joined the motley procession, or 
formed groups of entranced admirers of the 
show. Music of course held a prominent place 
in the entertainment. The Hindoos think they 
have a peculiar faculty for producing sweet 
sounds, and say that although the English sur- 
pass them in most things, they cannot go beyond 
them in music I 

They allow their women to be present at these 
gatherings, but the purdah or curtain is not 
left behind. The high caste women, closely 
covered with their chudders, keep in the back- 
ground at the public exhibitions, and at other 
times remain in their tents. 

Of course these melas furnish fine opportu- 



260 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

nities for sowing the good seed of the kingdom 
broadcast, both by preaching and distribution 
of books, as the people are away from their 
business and have leisure to see and hear. 

At this mela the people listened attentively, 
and frequently opened discussions which showed 
that they understood what was said to them. 
One brahmin thought that every religion was 
good and would save all who believed in it. 
Another wished to know if all that worshiped 
God would not be saved, intending of course 
to affirm that all Hindoos did so. Mr. H. told 
him that all depended upon the spirit in which 
the worship was rendered, etc., etc. 

After the preaching one day a young pundit 
asked for one of the Gospels, which was given 
him. He seemed very well disposed, but as 
soon as he had received the book he shouted 
out derisively, " Gunga kee jai," that is, victory 
belongs to the Ganges. The multitude joined 
instantaneously, and the air was rent with deaf- 
ening shouts, " Gunga kee jai, Gunga kee jai ! " 

The months of December and January were 
spent by the missionaries in the school and city 
work, and an occasional tour into the district. 
They visited the Sikh villages several times, and 
baptized at one time six adults and eight 
children. 

The work among the Sikhs seemed to be 
prospering well. Minepul Sing had begun the 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 261 

practice of calling his neighbors together at 
eventide and reading the Bible and praying 
with them. 

At the city of Sambhal they met with a very 
kind reception from the tehsildar in charge of the 
pergunna of Sambhal. This native gentleman, 
who is a frequent visitor at the mission house, 
supports a school in Sambhal taught by a Hin- 
doo, formerly one of the pupils of the mission 
school in Moradabad. It was told us that this 
teacher upon removing his family to Sambhal 
broke up his household gods and cast them 
away, saying he would have no more of such 
nonsense. 

The tehsildar wants a Christian teacher, and 
as soon as one can be spared from the mission he 
will be located there, and will take charge of 
the school. 

The Hindoos have a tradition regarding Sam- 
bhal that the last and holiest incarnation will 
take place there, and this event is constantly 
expected. 

As the time drew near for our annual meet- 
ing in Bareilly, when we were to leave India 
and turn our faces homeward, the work in Mo- 
radabad seemed to increase in interest daily. 
It is perhaps true that " blessings brighten as 
they take their flight ;" certainly to us the mis- 
sionary work never seemed so dear as it has this 
season. 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

Our relations with the people are most pleas- 
ing. There are frequent visitors and inquirers 
who seem almost ready to embrace Christianity. 
The natives indeed seem to regard us as their 
friends, and come to us often for advice and 
sympathy in their troubles. 

The school is in a high state of efficiency and 
prosperity. Government grants were made this 
year to several of our mission schools, and among 
them one of eighty rupees per month to the 
school in Moradabad. 

It was gratifying to us to have Zahoor-ul- 
Huqq and Umbeeka Churn associated with us 
this last year of our stay, and to witness their 
consistent walk and usefulness. 

Zahoor-ul-Huqq is a good preacher, quiet and 
candid, but bold and zealous in the discharge of 
his duty. He is a good singer, and many a night 
his voice, tuned to our own hymns, was the 
latest sound that fell upon our ears. The native 
Christians' houses stand very near our own, and 
we could hear their voices very distinctly in the 
still night. 

Umbeeka Churn was converted a Methodist 
in its true signification, that is, an earnest Chris- 
tian. He sometimes frightens the people in the 
bazars, by preaching to them in terrific strains of 
the sure wrath of God that shall be poured out 
upon those nations who will not forsake their 
idolatry and seek the living and true God. He 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 263 

prays with power, and those who listen are con- 
vinced that he is in earnest, that he feels his 
need of the blessings he asks. His voice is heard 
in the morning usually before any one else on 
the premises has risen, calling upon God in 
prayer. He was married in October last to 
Ellen, the eldest of our orphan girls. She is an 
intelligent, pious young woman of pleasing man- 
ners. We trust they will both be very useful 
laborers in this great and blessed work. 

I was not able to attend the annual meeting, 
and thus I lost the privilege of seeing the dear 
band of missionaries again before leaving. Mr. 
H. went over to Bareilly, but could not remain 
till the close of the meeting, as our passage was 
engaged in the screw steamer Golden Fleece, 
which was advertised to sail on the seventeenth 
of February. 

The members of the mission gave us many 
assurances of their affection and sympathy. 
How near they seem to us, and how strong and 
blessed are the ties that unite our hearts. 

May the choicest blessings of heaven be richly 
shed upon this little band of reapers, and may 
they gather many sheaves, from the whitening 
fields around them, into the garner of our Lord ! 



264 SIS YEAES IN INDIA. 



LETTEK XIX. 

Parting with Native Christians — Journey to Calcutta — Screw 
Steamer Golden Fleece — Madras — Illness — Cape of Good 
Hope — Equator — Eright — Land's End — England — Ireland 
— Atlantic — New York. 

New York, June 8, 1864, 

My Dear Mother, — On the morning of the 
tenth of February we gathered in the parlor of 
the mission house at Moradabad to hold our last 
religious services with our Hindoostanee breth- 
ren and sisters. Minepul Sing and his newly- 
married wife and sister had walked twenty miles 
on the previous evening in order to see us before 
we left, and now his wife wished to be baptized. 
It was very pleasing to us that this rite should 
be performed at our parting interview. 

After the baptism Mr. H. addressed the lit- 
tle company a few moments, then read and 
prayed. We sang a hymn together, and then 
we bade them each and all good-by. I shall 
never forget that scene. How exceedingly pre- 
cious those few disciples of our Lord seemed to 
us as we gazed upon them, perhaps for the last 
time, and commended them to the care of the 
" Good Shepherd." The tears coursed down 
their cheeks freely as they assured us they should 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 265 

not cease to pray that my health might be re- 
stored, and we be able to return to them soon. 

"We traveled by horse dak to Allyghur, which 
we reached the next morning, after a day and 
night of excessive fatigue. 

From Allyghur we took the cars for Allaha- 
bad. Western civilization is indeed making 
great changes in India, and western Christian- 
ity should be advancing more rapidly. 

We found Allahabad so much improved as 
almost to rival the " City of Palaces " itself. 
Where desert-like sand plains met the eye in 
1858, stately dwellings and public buildings had 
risen as if by magic ; and on the spot where we 
took the cars in March of that year, stood a fine 
large station house. The seat of government 
for the Northwest provinces has been changed 
from Agra to Allahabad, which partly ac- 
counts for the change in the appearance of the 
place. 

We stopped through the day at one of the 
splendid hotels which stand near the station, 
and at early evening left in a dak garee for 
Benares* 

The railway bridge across the Jumna is in 
process of erection, and when it is completed 
there will be no such break in the journey to 
Calcutta. The line of railway keeps to the 
south of the Ganges, and thus does not intersect 
Benares ; but a branch runs up to that city, the 



%6(> SIX TEAKS IN INDIA. 

station of which is just opposite on the southern 
bank of the river. 

We arrived in Benares on Saturday, and re- 
mained over the Sabbath at the house of the 
Rev. Mr. Sherring, of the London Missionary 
Society mission in that city. 

We attended service in the mission chapel on 
Sabbath morning, and heard Mr. Sherring 
preach. He speaks the Hindoostanee language 
very fluently, and it was a pleasure to hear him. 

There was a fine congregation of native Chris- 
tians and scholars from the mission schools. At 
a service held later in the day Mr. H. preached. 
In the evening some other missionaries called, 
and Mr. Sherring and Mr. Humphrey accom- 
panied them to a general missionary prayer 
meeting. 

Early on Monday morning Mr. Sherring took 
us in his carriage across the Ganges to the sta- 
tion house. 

The cars on the Indian railway are in com- 
partments, as they are in England. We were so 
fortunate as to have a compartment to ourselves, 
and Mr. H. was thus enabled to arrange a com- 
fortable place for us to rest during the night. 

Tuesday morning, the sixteenth, we arrived 
in Calcutta, and soon after leaving the train at 
Howrah, we saw Mr. Young advancing to meet 
us. How the sight of him recalled our arrival 
in 1857, and our life in Calcutta. One other 



SIX YEARS m JKDIA. 267 

kind friend of those days, Mr. Stewart, has re- 
turned to Scotland. 

"We learned from Mr. Young that we must go 
on board the Golden Fleece that night, so we 
had only a few hours in which to make the 
necessary arrangements for the voyage. It was 
a busy day, but, with Mr. Young's assistance, we 
were ready in time. 

"We drove down to Garden Eeach about sun- 
set, and once more went on board a dinghy. 
We found that the Golden Fleece had dropped 
down the river some distance, and we had a 
long row in prospect to reach her. 

Mr. Young accompanied us, and thus the 
first friendly face we met upon our arrival in 
India was also the last we gazed upon when we 
left her shores. "We bade him good-by in the 
saloon of the steamship, and then slightly ar- 
ranged our cabin and retired for the night, but 
not to sleep. The night was unusually sultry 
for that season. The jackals had not forgotten 
how to make "night hideous" by their " sylvan 
strains." Passengers were continually arriv- 
ing, children crying, and the nurses making 
drowsy and worse than useless attempts to quiet 
them. 

In the morning at breakfast we met our fel- 
low-passengers, but the officers were not present. 
There were, including ourselves, fourteen adults 
and twelve children. 



268 SIX YEARS m INDIA. 

Three ladies were going to England on account 
of ill-health, leaving their husbands in India ; 
and one entire family, also on account of dis- 
ease. One single lady, a Miss Rocke, was re- 
turning from a visit to some friends. The com- 
plement was made up of young officers who 
were returning either on account of ill-health or 
ill-conduct. Of the former number was a son 
of General ISTeil. 

The Golden Fleece is an iron ship of two 
thousand seven hundred tons burden. She is 
a full-rigged sailing vessel with a small steam 
power attached, which is sufficient to take her 
along at the rate of seven knots an hour in 
calms and variable winds. 

"We glided easily down the Hooghly, over the 
bars and sands that caused so much alarm in 
the Niobe, and long before evening the last 
point of S augur island disappeared from our 
sight. 

With far greater regret than when the shores 
of our native land faded from our view, we 
asked ourselves, " Shall we never look upon 
these shores again ? " 

Captain Bird, the commander of the ship, is 
a fine-looking gentleman past the prime of life. 
He is a member of the Church of England, and 
believes in keeping up at least the forms of re- 
ligion. He desired Mr. H. to always ask a 
blessing at dinner, and to read the Church serv- 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 269 

ice and preach a short sermon on deck every 
Sabbath morning. 

The rules of the ship were very strict in re- 
gard to the Sabbath. The decks were scrubbed 
every morning except on that day, and they 
were washed twice on Saturday. All the sail- 
ors except those on duty were required to be 
cleanly dressed and marched forward to the 
seats arranged for them. The capstan, which 
served for a pulpit, was always covered with the 
British flag. There was a large awning over a 
portion of the deck, which made it a comforta- 
ble place to sit. 

We anchored off Madras on the Saturday 
evening after sailing, and remained there till 
the sixth of March, in order to take on board 
cargo and passengers. 

There is no bay at Madras. The ocean waves 
break with full force upon the beach, and are 
crested with snow-white and angry-looking surf 
through which ordinary boats cannot pass. The 
natives have contrived peculiar boats, the planks 
of which are fastened together with strong cords 
yielding somewhat to the action of the waves. 
They are called Masulah boats, and are always 
used for the transportation of cargoes and pas- 
sengers to and from the ships. We saw also very 
singular-looking crafts, apparently made of a 
single plank, or half the trunk of a tree, bearing 
one man each. They are called catamarans. 



270 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

Our vessel was besieged with boats filled with 
dealers in fruit, ornaments, curiosities, embroi- 
deries, silks, etc. Among them were silk robes 
embroidered with cotton, and the most exquisite 
embroidered muslins and laces I ever saw. 

Most of the passengers went ashore at Ma- 
dras ; but the ladies were so utterly terror- 
stricken, and told of such marvelous escapes, 
that I concluded to remain quietly on board. 
Mr. H., however, went ashore twice and looked 
about the city, and visited the Eev. Dr. "Winslow 
and Mr. Hunt of the mission of the American 
Board. There were some other American 
missionaries there from a station some dis- 
tance in the country, and one of them accom- 
panied Mr. H. to the ship and made me a 
short visit. 

A crowd of people came on board at Madras, 
so that when we left we had nearly a hundred 
adult passengers and forty children. There 
were over one hundred and thirty of the ship's 
crew, which made the whole number of souls 
on board about two hundred and seventy. 

The weather was intensely hot while we were 
off Madras. I was taken very ill the day before 
we sailed, and for two weeks was confined wholly 
to my berth. Some of the time it seemed 
doubtful if I could rally ; but in two or three 
weeks, as we gained the colder latitudes, I began 
to recover. As soon as I was a little stronger, 



SIX YEAKS IK INDIA. 271 

the pliysican ordered me to be carried out daily 
to the sofa of the stern window for fresh air, and 
many an honr I lay there quaffing the pure sea 
breezes and watching the heaving sea. 

As the stern window was a favorite resort for 
the lady passengers, I made their acquaintance 
under rather disadvantageous circumstances ; 
but before we had been a month out from Madras, 
I was able to resume my seat at table and min- 
gle with the passengers. 

One gentleman, who came on board at Madras 
quite out of health, died in about three weeks, 
and was buried in the ocean. 

Among the passengers were a general and his 
family going home to England for life, with 
whom we formed a very pleasant acquaintance. 
Perhaps one reason we liked them so well was 
that they sympathized with the North in the 
great struggle for the right. 

Several of the company asked Mr. H. to con- 
duct an evening service on the Sabbath, and 
also to have prayers every morning in the sa- 
loon. After consulting Captain Bird and find- 
ing he had no objections, he consented to do so, 
and throughout the voyage he held two services 
on the Sabbath and morning prayers throughout 
the week. 

There was a piano on board, and as there 
were several good players and singers, the 
hymns and chants were rendered in good style, 



272 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

and added very much to the interest of the 
services. 

Off Mauritius and Madagascar the weather 
was cold and squally, but we had no severe 
storms. As we rounded the Cape of Good 
Hope, we met heavy seas that made our good 
ship tremble. There had evidently been a tem- 
pest, and the waves had not yet subsided. The 
wind was fair, and we plowed through the 
advancing billows at a fearful rate. 

When we got into the current off Point Agul- 
has, which took us along at the rate of four knots 
an hour, we were making thirteen by our sails ; 
and seventeen miles an hour made even the 
Golden Fleece " reel to and fro and stagger like 
a drunken man." 

The night previous to our reaching Cape 
Town the phosphorus in the water was magnifi- 
cent : the waves " mountain high," and the 
whole vast expanse, far as the eye could reach, 
gleamed with red light, and on, and on, right 
through the blazing element, our good ship 
plowed her way unharmed. I am sure none 
of us can ever forget the sublimity and super- 
natural beauty of that scene. 

Captain Bird was running for a prize. Five 
hundred pounds sterling extra were to be his if 
he made the voyage from Madras to Cape Town 
in thirty days, and thence to England in forty 
days. We barely succeeded in casting anchor 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 273 

in Table Bay on the evening of the fifth of 
April, which was reckoned to be just within the 
fixed time. 

Next morning the bold green mountains of 
the Cape loomed majestically up before us. As 
we could not discern them the previous night, 
the change seemed almost magical. In the 
center stands Table Mountain, so called from 
its flat top, which is three miles across. 
When the storm cloud lowers, it falls down 
the sides of Table Mountain in such a manner 
as to gain from mariners the cognomen of " The 
Tablecloth." 

There are two other large mountains, one on 
either side, with conical peaks and green grassy 
slopes ; but the three mountains are not beauti- 
fied very abundantly with trees. 

At their foot lies Cape Town. Its home-like 
houses and churches form a very agreeable view 
to the eyes of voyagers from the East, and very 
pleasant to the taste are the apples, pears, and 
grapes, which are abundant at this season of the 
year. 

Excellent wine is made at Constantia, a vine- 
yard but a few miles from the town, and a large 
supply was taken on board by our fellow-pas- 
sengers. 

Mr. H. went ashore several times, but I only 
succeeded in getting on deck once, the first time 
since leaving Madras. We would have enjoyed 
18 



274 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

a few days on shore to visit the missions, etc. 
"We had hoped to meet Dr. Duff at the Cape, 
as we knew he was making a stay there on his 
way to Scotland, bnt he had gone inland a few 
miles. 

Some of the missionaries hearing of ns, kindly 
sent us an invitation to visit them, but we did 
not receive it in time to do so. About fifteen 
passengers, adults and children, came on board at 
Cape Town. 

The climate of the Cape must be very like 
home, although not so severe. "We learned 
from the passengers that snow falls occasionally 
during three months of the year, June, July 
and August, but never to any great depth. 

I should suppose it would be a better climate 
for invalids from India to recruit in than that 
of America or England, and what a saving of 
time, money, and exposure it would be if mis- 
sionaries could avail themselves of it. How 
gladly would we have been spared the remain- 
der of the voyage, if we could have remained 
there and been comfortably situated. 

"We were told that before the Overland Route 
shortened the journey to England, the East In- 
dia Company sent all its invalids there to recruit. 

We sailed on the tenth, and with favoring 
winds made our way rapidly toward the Equa- 
tor. As we neared it the wind left us, and we 
steamed for a week ; then again we depended 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 275 

upon our sails. How different from our voyage 
out ! Then we lay becalmed for weeks in the 
torrid zone, now we had only a week of hot 
weather. 

"When off the coast of Guinea we had quite a 
fright. The funnel burned out one Sabbath 
evening. We were drinking tea in the saloon, 
when we heard confused noises overhead, and 
looking up saw a shower of sparks falling down 
the main hatchway ! 

The awning caught fire, and the lower sails 
were endangered. The ropes which fastened 
the awning were cut in order to remove it more 
speedily, and in a short time the danger was 
averted. 

On the eighteenth of May we sighted Land's 
End, the point where Charles Wesley is said to 
have composed, 

" Lo ! on a narrow neck of land 

'Twist two unbounded seas I stand," etc. 

It was a time of thrilling excitement to all, 
especially so to those whose homes were near. 

We took a pilot off Plymouth the next morn- 
ing. On the succeeding night Captain Bird re- 
tired, leaving the ship in his charge. Toward 
morning an invalid gentleman passenger was 
restless, and rose and went on deck. He ob- 
served something just ahead that looked like 
land, and at once called an officer, who no sooner 



276 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

saw it than he shouted an order to turn the ship 
about. We were driving right ashore, and so 
near had we approached, that in turning the 
ship the proximity to land was hazardous. We 
were greatly shocked in the morning when we 
learned what danger we had escaped. The 
pilot was put off the next day and another taken 
on board. 

Early on the morning of the twenty**third we 
were all astir gazing on the " white cliffs of Al- 
bion," which, in the vicinity of Dover, present a 
very imposing appearance. "We could see the 
town and the renowned Castle of Dover quite 
distinctly. 

On this, the last morning of our remarkably 
pleasant voyage, we all met for prayers as usual. 
Just as they were concluded, Mrs. Cotton, a 
most lovely and amiable Christian lady, remark- 
ed that the lady passengers had deputed her to 
thank Mr. H. for what they were pleased to 
term the kind and acceptable manner in which 
he had conducted religious services on board, 
and announced that a Bible and Prayer Book 
would be presented to him in London " as a 
token of regard, and in remembrance of his 
kind services." She added that they should 
always regard our companionship on board with 
much pleasure, and that it was the wish of all 
that we might be blessed and prospered in our 
visit to our native land, and be enabled to return 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 277 

to our work in India. This incident took us by 
surprise, but was no less grateful to our feelings. 

We steamed up the Thames to Gravesend, 
where most of the passengers left the ship. We 
were all glad that the voyage was over, and yet 
there were many regretful feelings that we must 
now part with but very little prospect of meet- 
ing again in this world. 

We had become much interested in several of 
the passengers, especially in Miss Eocke, Mrs. 
Cotton, and others. Mrs. Thompson, of Cape 
Town, an estimable Christian lady, seemed like 
a mother to us. She was on a visit to England 
and Ireland with her son and daughter. When 
we landed at Gravesend, they, with us, joined 
Mr. Fletcher's family party, who were intending 
to take rooms at Ship Hotel, Charing Cross. 
After a slight detention at the custom-house we 
took a cab to the railway station. 

How delicious was the land-breeze as we drove 
along ! and how lovely were the lilacs blossom- 
ing up against the pleasant English homes! 
How delightful it was again to glide swiftly 
along the iron track ! 

We entered London, vast London, in the even- 
ing, and at nine o'clock were taking tea together 
in a private parlor at Ship Hotel. 

It was very pleasant to have the company of 
these fellow- voyagers while in London. Several 
others called on us at the hotel, and among them 



278 SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 

came Judge Cotton with the ladies' remembran- 
cer, a beautiful Bible and Prayer Book, with the 
names of the donors written on a blank leaf in- 
side, and Mr. Humphrey's name in gilt letters 
on the outside of each book. 

Our friend, Miss Rocke, called and generously 
gave us ten sovereigns, equal to fifty dollars in 
gold, for our missionary treasury. Mrs. Thomp- 
son also gave us three sovereigns for the same 
purpose. 

As we had but three days in which to make 
our preparations for the remaining voyage, 
we had not much opportunity for sight-seeing. 
For my part, I was so fatigued that I was 
quite satisfied with what we saw from our par- 
lor windows. Westminster Abbey was close 
by, and near us, standing by a fountain in full 
play, was a full size equestrian statue. 

The shops opposite the hotel were resplendent 
with richly-hued fabrics, the sidewalks were 
crowded with well-dressed people, and the 
streets with beautiful carriages. 

Mr. H. visited City Road Chapel and "Wesley's 
house and tomb, and explored the subterranean 
railroad which tunnels the great city. 

We fully intended to see the interior of West- 
minster Abbey the day we left London, but 
when we had walked around the venerable pile 
and were about to enter, we found the evening 
service was just commencing, and if we went in 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 279 

we could not leave until it should conclude, and 
as we had but two hours in which to bid our 
friends good-by and reach the station, we dared 
not risk the detention. 

We had a charming bird's-eye view of the 
mother country as on the fleet wings of steam 
we sped across the country to Liverpool. Two 
points in relation to Euglish scenery will ever 
be distinct in my memory. One is the absence 
of the unsightly board and rail fences which 
mar the beauty of our home scenery ; and, second, 
the intense green of the landscape. The smooth 
cosy meadows, with the enclosing hedges, the 
shrubs, the trees, all are of the deepest richest 
green. 

We saw many of the " stately homes of En- 
gland " as well as the " cottage homes," stand- 
ing embowered in groves, and looking the very 
personification of home comfort. Still I think 
many parts of our own fair land rival England 
in this respect, while in extended and varied 
scenery it, of course, far surpasses her. 

We reached Liverpool at eleven o'clock P. M., 
and went to Queen's Hotel, as we had been ad- 
vised by our London friends. In about half an 
hour we were sitting in a nicely furnished room 
far up skyward, with steaming tea, hot muf- 
fins, etc., before us. Really, English hotels 
are marvelously comfortable places for tired 
travelers. 



280 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

On entering the breakfast room next morning 
we were shown to one of the many small tables 
that filled the room, where we were served to a 
delicious breakfast. 

We drove through the busy streets of Liver- 
pool for an hour before we made our way to 
the docks. At one o'clock we went on board 
the steamer Etna, and glided down the Mersey. 

Immediately we found ourselves among our 
own people once more. Two young gentlemen, 
two young ladies, and a missionary from Tur- 
key, formed, with ourselves, the American party, 
which was enlarged at times by sundry others 
who claimed the United States as their adopted 
home. 

We were a mixed multitude on board the Etna. 
There were about eighty cabin passengers and 
six hundred emigrants. All the latter, and 
some of the former, came on board at Queens- 
town, Ireland, where we stopped for a few 
hours. 

We saw there the ill-fated " City of York," 
lying helplessly on the rock which stopped her 
course forever. It seems that the captain of 
the unfortunate vessel attempted to pass be- 
tween the rock and the shore, in order to save a 
few moments of time, and being deceived by 
the apparent nearness of the shore in the moon- 
light, did not allow the rock sufficient latitude. 
She struck on it, and could not be got ofi\ 



SIX YEAES IN INDIA. 281 

All the passengers were saved, but of course 
they were much terrified, and sustained great 
loss. 

"When we left Queenstown, and were fairly 
out to sea, we began to feel impatient for the 
first time during the entire journey. Home 
seemed so near, and yet so far away. 

The voyage to New York was only twelve 
days in length ; but O what tedious days they 
were ! Sea-life became almost intolerable, and 
it was only when we thought of the poor emi- 
grants below, stowed in like baggage as they 
were, that our own close quarters seemed en- 
durable. 

We had gray lowering weather all the way 
over, but no storm. 

On the two Sabbaths we had religious serv- 
ices. Mr. Walker, the missionary from Turkey, 
preached on one Sabbath and Mr. H. on the 
other, after the reading of the Church service 
by the physician on board. 

The second Saturday evening a lamentable 
accident occurred. A young German woman 
fell down the ladder which led below, and rup- 
tured a blood vessel. She died in a few min- 
utes. On Sabbath morning she was placed in 
a coffin and cast out into the broad Atlantic. 

Just before midday a large ship bore down 
toward us and signaled us to stop. Our captain 
declared he would not, and went below; but 



282 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

he had scarcely reached his room when a shot 
came darting over the water toward ns. 

There was no escape, we must stop and learn 
the will of the stranger, so with an ill grace 
the captain gave the necessary orders to stop 
the steamer. 

The strange vessel, a splendid man-of-war in 
fnll sail, bore down so closely that it seemed as 
if she meant to crush us ; but she merely ascer- 
tained who we were, and then, without deigning 
to answer our question, " What is the news % " 
made off. 

Sabbath evening a heavy fog came on, and 
all night long the portentous fog-bell rang out 
its warning peals. Toward noon on Monday 
the fog cleared away, and when the bay, with 
its lovely islands and stately cities met our gaze, 
the bright sunshine beamed forth. 

Just as we left the steamer, however, clouds 
overspread the sky, and amid pouring rain we 
landed, stopped at the custom-house, bade our 
little party of friends good-by, entered a carriage, 
and drove to the missionaries' home, the house 
of the kind and excellent Recording Secretary 
of the Missionary Board, Rev. D. Terry. 

It seems like a dream that we are here again 
in New York, and that in a few days we shall 
mingle with the friends we thought never to see 
again in the flesh. 

We do not have a single thought that our 



SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

work in India is done. We consider that we 
are merely home " on furlough," and soon as 
the purpose for which we returned shall be ac- 
complished, we will gladly return to " the front," 
if God permit us. 

My health is much improved, and we have 
strong hope that we have yet many years before 
us to labor in heathen India. 



APPENDIX. 



Theee were a few errors in the manuscript of this 
work which I would have corrected in the proofs, 
but I did not receive them in time to make the 
necessary alterations ; I therefore note them here. 

On page 6 1 the Soane river is said to be " but 
a rivulet " in the dry season ; but instead of this 
being the case, it is broken into several shallow 
streams, which thread the deep yellow sand of the 
bed of the river, which is over three miles wide. 
While on our journey from Calcutta to Nynee 
Tal in 1858, we crossed the Soane in the night, 
and, in fact, did not see it at all. Our kahars 
complained of the deep sand, but said there was 
very little water. 

On page 60 a sufficiently clear idea of the 
Vindhya Hills is not given. The Vindhyan range 
comprises all the mountains and hills between the 
twenty-second and twenty-fifth parallels of lati- 
tude, from Ouzerat on the west to the Ganges; 
but the first hills north of Calcutta are usually 
termed the Bahar Hills, because they are in the 



SIX YEAKS IN INDIA. 285 

province of Bahar. The fact is not mentioned, 
either, that the singular ledge of rocks called 
" Adam's Bridge," which connects the two small 
islands of Kameserum and Manar, in a direct line 
between the continent and Ceylon, is supposed by 
the Hindoos to be the remains of the bridge which 
was constructed by the apes for the recovery of 
the goddess Seeta. 

On page 72, also, in the description of the " Taj 
Mahal," the impression is given that the whole of 
the Koran is inlaid upon the walls in precious 
stones ; but this is not so ; the letters are formed of 
black marble. The Sarcophagi are inlaid with 
precious stones, and so are the other portions of 
the edifice, as mentioned. The description is, how- 
ever, very incomplete, owing to the little time we 
had to examine it. 

The best description of the Taj Mahal extant, 
at least in this country, is in Bayard Taylor's 
" India, China, and Japan," but even that usually 
correct writer falls into a very great mistake in 
regard to the personage for whom the mausoleum 
was erected. He says : " The history and asso- 
ciations of the Taj are entirely poetic. It is a 
work inspired by love and consecrated to beauty. 
Shah Jahan, the ' Selim ' of Moore's poem, (The 
Light of the Haram, in Lalla Rookh,) erected it as 
a mausoleum over his queen, Noor Jahan, the light 
of the world, whom the same poet calls Noor 
Mahal, the light of the haram, or, more properly, 



286 SIX YEARS IN INDIA. 

palace. She is reputed to have been a woman of 
surpassing beauty, and of great wit and intelli- 
gence." 

Now Moore himself declares his hero to be 
" the magnificent son of Akbar," in the opening 
lines of " The Light of the Haram," and also states 
in the margin that his name was Selim, but at his 
coronation he assumed the title of Jahangeer, or 
Conqueror of the World, which is also an historical 
fact. The favorite sultana of Jahangeer, whom he 
named first Noor Mahal, and afterward Noor Ja- 
han, survived him several years, and at her death, 
in 1646, was buried in a tomb which she had her- 
self erected close to that of Jahangeer at Lahore.* 

Khoorum, the favorite son of Jahangeer, (but 
not the son of Noor Mahal,) was crowned soon 
after his father's death, and the title of Shah Ja- 
han, or King of the World, was conferred upon 
him. He built the Taj Mahal in memory of his 
favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, that is, the Chosen 
of the Palace, and was afterward buried by her 
side in the vault of that inimitable structure. 

E. J. H. 

* See "British Possessions in Asia," by R. Montgomery 
Martin, Esq. 



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